Outsider Art Fair Cancels Basel Debut

The Outsider Art Fair, owned by Andrew Edlin, has canceled its planned expansion to Basel, Switzerland, just two months after announcing the move. The fair was scheduled to take place from June 13-17, 2018, at the Hotel Pullman, coinciding with Art Basel. Edlin cited the company's modest size and unforeseen obstacles as reasons for the decision, stating, 'We are still a small company and must be aware of how much we can grow and in how much time.' He also noted that there were many hurdles for the fair and its exhibitors, more than anticipated. Instead, Edlin will focus on other projects, including the ongoing exhibition 'Outliers and American Vanguard Art' at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and a major exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art opening in late May. The fair will continue in Paris and New York. The article also highlights other fair expansions in 2018: Independent Brussels moves to October, Paper Positions launches in Basel, Frieze debuts in Los Angeles, and a new fair organized by former Art Basel Hong Kong director Magnus Renfrew will coincide with the Taipei Biennial. Condo expands to Mexico City and Shanghai, and new biennials are announced for Bangkok (October 2018) and Oslo (2019).