Coronavirus: Art Basel 2020 postponed, to be held in September

New Delhi, Mar 26 () The 2020 edition of Art Basel, one of the largest art fairs in the world, scheduled to be held in June this year, has been postponed "as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impact worldwide", fair organisers announced Thursday.

It will now be held from September 17 to September 20, at Messe Basel, with preview days on September 15 and September 16.

"We thank our galleries for the support and understanding of our highly complex decision to postpone the fair. We hope that the situation improves swiftly, and we will work closely with our exhibitors to deliver a successful fair in September.

"At the same time, we are aware of how dynamic the COVID-19 situation is and will continue to monitor the developments closely. The health and safety of our exhibitors, partners, guests, and teams remains our main priority, and we will adapt all our planning to the developing situation," Marc Spiegler, Global Director, Art Basel said.

The fair management said that the decision was taken in "close consultation" with a wide range of gallerists, collectors, partners, and external experts, keeping in mind the "health and safety of our community".

The postponement, it added, would also ensure that the four-day event will be attended by the "largest possible number of collectors, curators, and arts professionals".

The postponement of Art Basel comes after the cancellation of Art Basel's Hong Kong edition and Frieze, New York. Art Dubai's 2020 edition was also postponed due to the pandemic. TRSTRS