Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz on Expansion, Digital Art, and Market Strain

Art Basel, the world's premier modern and contemporary art fair, has expanded from three to five fairs in recent years, adding editions in Paris and Qatar, alongside its original Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong events. The 290-exhibitor fair in Basel features top galleries, museum-quality works by Picasso and Warhol, and emerging artists, though fewer of the latter are present. Major collectors Don and Mera Rubell and celebrities like Kanye West and James Franco attend. CEO Noah Horowitz, who took the helm in 2022, has a long history in the art fair world: he launched the first online art fair VIP in 2010, led the Armory Show from 2011 to 2015, oversaw Art Basel Miami Beach as head of the Americas, and briefly served at Sotheby's in 2021 before returning to Art Basel. He authored "Art of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial Market" (2011). The fair has introduced a digital art platform called Zero 10 and the Art Basel Awards. Horowitz discussed the changing art market, digital art, and the financial strain on mid-tier galleries.