Art Basel Announces 2026 Award Winners with Strong Southeast Asian Representation

Art Basel has revealed the 33 medalists for its 2026 awards program, highlighting talent from Southeast Asia. In the Cross-Disciplinary Creator category, nominees include Thai architect Kulapat Yantrasast, American artist Laurie Anderson, and South African architect Sumayya Vally. The Established Artist nominees feature Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Argentinian-born Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, Cuban artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons, along with Americans Arthur Jafa, Theaster Gates, and Julie Mehretu. Emerging Artist honorees are Farah Al Qasimi, Aziza Kadyri, Tiffany Sia, Carla Gueye, Diego Marcon, and Precious Okoyomon. Curators Azu Nwagbogu, Stuart Comer, and Diana Campbell are also recognized. The Museum and Institution category honors the Diriyah Biennale Foundation from Saudi Arabia. Medalists will be celebrated in June at Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland, with gold awardees announced in December at Art Basel Miami Beach, each receiving over USD 250,000 annually.