Hauser & Wirth acquires Galerie Knoell in Basel

Hauser & Wirth has absorbed Galerie Knoell in Basel, taking over its space at Luftgässlein 4 and its founder Carlo Knoell, who becomes senior director of the mega-gallery. The deal, reported by The Art Newspaper, does not include Knoell's original gallery at Bäumleingasse 18, which remains independent and continues its secondary market focus on 20th-century Swiss artists like Méret Oppenheim and Verena Loewensberg. Carlo Knoell will manage his own inventory independently. The move gives Hauser & Wirth a permanent presence in Basel, home to Art Basel, joining Gagosian which has been there since 2019. The gallery already has Swiss locations in Zurich, Gstaad, and St. Moritz. James Koch, partner and executive director of Hauser & Wirth, stated that Knoell brings fresh perspectives to their secondary market activities. Carlo Knoell noted that his relationship with Hauser & Wirth has grown over the years and that joining them is a natural evolution. The acquisition takes effect in January 2024.