Six Must-See Exhibitions During Art Basel 2026

During Art Basel 2026, six exhibitions across Basel, Riehen, and Weil am Rhein offer compelling alternatives to the fair. Von Bartha reopens with "Fable and Form," pairing Barry Flanagan's bronze sculptures with Ursula Reuter Christiansen's paintings (June 15–Aug 7). Fondation Beyeler hosts Pierre Huyghe's first Swiss solo museum show, featuring new works like "Apnea" (2026) and "Adversary" (2026) (May 24–Sep 13). Kunstmuseum Basel presents a Helen Frankenthaler retrospective with over 50 works spanning six decades, highlighting her soak-stain technique (Apr 18–Aug 23). Also at Kunstmuseum Basel, Cao Fei's first Swiss solo exhibition, "Testimonies to the Near Future," creates an immersive city-like environment across four floors (May 30–Oct 11). Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein celebrates Verner Panton's centenary with a comprehensive retrospective including the reconstructed "Fantasy Landscape" (May 23, 2026–May 9, 2027). The same venue presents Hella Jongerius's first major retrospective, "Whispering Things," featuring over 400 works and collaborations with Maharam, IKEA, Nike, Camper, Vitra, and KLM (Mar 14–Sep 6, 2026).