Art Basel's High Costs: A Personal Account
A humorous and personal essay recounts the exorbitant costs of attending Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland. The author describes the financial strain of visiting the fair, noting that even modest savings are insufficient. Anecdotes include a friend being charged 22 francs for two coffees, the author resorting to eating dry figs from a bar, and a frantic run through a dangerous underpass to reach an affordable hotel. The piece also mentions a site-specific commission by Nairy Baghramian across Messeplatz, courtesy of Art Basel.
Key facts
- Art Basel in Basel is extremely expensive to attend.
- A friend was charged 22 francs for two coffees.
- The author ate dry figs from a bar outside the fair.
- The author ran through a dangerous underpass to reach an affordable hotel.
- A site-specific commission by Nairy Baghramian was installed across Messeplatz.
- The commission is courtesy of Art Basel.
- The author wore a yellow Marni chemisier and blue Prada vintage jacket.
- A woman mistook the author's outfit as pro-Ukraine.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Art Basel
- Marni
- Prada
- Collezione da Tiffany
Locations
- Basel
- Switzerland
- Messeplatz
- Germany