Africa Basel Opens During Art Basel

Art Basel week just got more interesting

We all know about Art Basel, but are you familiar with Africa Basel? As Art Basel opened in Switzerland this week, so did a new fair. Africa Basel is a contemporary art fair specialising in works from Africa and its diaspora, putting a spotlight on art from the African continent. The inaugural edition features four galleries from the MENA region, bringing gallerists from Morocco, Tunisia and the UAE to Basel.

The fair aims to promote dialogue between galleries, collectors, artists and art enthusiasts and helps to further strengthen the growing global interest in African art. An African art fair - 1:54 - also runs in London during its Frieze fair, so perhaps Africa Basel will bring new depth to Art Week in Basel. “At a moment when the art world is actively interrogating its institutional biases and structures, the Africa Basel Art Fair offers a critical counterpoint, one that not only allows for more pluralistic dialogues to be present during Basel Art Week but also enriches the very foundations of global art appreciation”, says Dr. Greer Valley, a member of the curatorial board. Moreover, fellow board member Serge Tiroche emphasises the significance of the fair, adding: “This is of particular importance at a time when the ‘market’ for African art needs reassurance, which it will continue to see from the most significant curatorial platforms of the Venice Biennale and Documenta in the near future.”

The Debut Africa Basel saw a MENA presence in the presence of La Galerie 38 and MCC Gallery from Morocco, TGM Gallery from Tunisia, and AKKAA Project from the UAE. “Africa Basel was born out of a deep conviction that contemporary art from Africa and its global diasporas deserves a dedicated and visible platform in the heart of Europe”, says Benjamin Füglister, co-founding Director, “While Basel is already an international hub for the art world, it lacked a space that consistently centres African perspectives, voices, and aesthetics. We wanted to create more than just an art fair, Africa Basel is a curated cultural encounter that fosters exchange, equity, and visibility for artists, galleries, and institutions connected to the continent. Our aim is not only to showcase excellence but to help shift prevailing narratives around African art and who gets to define its value.”

Given our interest in North Africa, we asked Füglister about the North African presence at the fair. “From the beginning, we were committed to reflecting the full geographic and cultural richness of the continent, and that includes robust representation from North Africa”, he explains, “At Africa Basel 2025, we are proud to welcome artists and galleries from Morocco and Tunisia, each bringing distinct perspectives rooted in their own histories, languages, and artistic lineages. Whether through conceptual photography, abstraction, or politically engaged work, the North African presence adds critical nuance to the fair. It’s also a reminder that African art is not monolithic, and that North Africa, often caught between Euro-Mediterranean and African identities, plays a vital role in the continent’s evolving cultural map.”

Though the fair had tough competition from Art Basel, the debut Africa Basel was well received. “The response has been both humbling and energising”, says Füglister”, “From the outset, we received strong interest from galleries across the African continent, as well as from collectors, curators, and institutions in Europe who were eager to engage with a broader and more inclusive art discourse. During the fair, we saw a genuine openness and curiosity from the Basel public, as well as meaningful participation from diaspora communities and international guests. What stands out most is the sense of shared investment, people aren’t just attending Africa Basel; they are contributing to it, carrying it forward, and recognising it as something long overdue.”

While Africa Basel did have gallery representation from the MENA region, our research suggests that there was no artist representation from North Africa. Here’s hoping the next edition of Africa Basel is more representative of the African continent.