Art Basel Announces 33 Medalists for Second Annual Awards, Spanning Artists, Curators, and Institutions
Art Basel has revealed the 33 honorees for its second annual Art Basel Awards, recognizing a variety of contributors within the art community. The medalists for 2026 will be acknowledged at a ceremony taking place during Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland, from June 15 to 21. Among the emerging artists are Farah Al Qasimi, Carla Gueye, and Tiffany Sia. Established figures include María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Arthur Jafa, while iconic artists recognized are Barbara Kruger and Jenny Holzer. The cross-disciplinary category features Laurie Anderson and architects Sumayya Vally and Kulapat Yantrasast. Non-artist recipients include collectors Pamela J. Joyner and the Teiger Foundation, with institutions like Savvy Contemporary and the Diriyah Biennale Foundation also honored. Gold medalists will be disclosed at Art Basel Miami Beach in December, receiving over $250,000 in support.
Key facts
- Art Basel named 33 medalists for the second edition of its annual Art Basel Awards.
- The awards honor artists, curators, collectors, institutions, and other art-world allies.
- Medalists will be honored at a ceremony during Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland, from June 15 to 21, 2026.
- A smaller group of medalists will receive gold medals, announced at Art Basel Miami Beach in December 2026.
- Gold award artists receive over $250,000 in flexible support, including honorariums and commissions.
- Categories include emerging artists, established artists, icon artists, cross-disciplinary, patrons, curators, institutions, media, and allies.
- Vincenzo de Bellis stated the awards reflect an interconnected art world and aim to reward forward-thinking contributions.
- The awards program was launched in 2025 to recognize daily efforts and future industry shapers.
Entities
Artists
- Farah Al Qasimi
- Carla Gueye
- Diego Marcon
- Aziza Kadyri
- Precious Okoyomon
- Tiffany Sia
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons
- Arthur Jafa
- Theaster Gates
- Rirkrit Tiravanija
- Apichatpong Weerasethakul
- Julie Mehretu
- Barbara Kruger
- Howardena Pindell
- Jenny Holzer
- Laurie Anderson
- Sumayya Vally
- Kulapat Yantrasast
- Anton Vidokle
Institutions
- Art Basel
- Savvy Contemporary
- Diriyah Biennale Foundation
- Brick theatre incubator
- Teiger Foundation
- Independent Curators International
- New Curators
- Studio Museum in Harlem
- e-flux
- The Art Newspaper
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Kunstmuseum Basel
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA)
- Dia Art Foundation
- Serpentine
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
- M+
- Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
- UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
- Messe Basel
- Artribune
Locations
- Basel
- Switzerland
- Berlin
- Germany
- Saudi Arabia
- Brooklyn
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Harlem
- Miami Beach
- Cape Town
- South Africa
- New York
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Hong Kong
- China
- Miami
- Beijing