Founded in 1970 by Basel-based gallerists, Art Basel now hosts the leading art fairs for Modern and Contemporary art in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar. Returning to its hometown, the 2026 edition of Art Basel brings together 290 galleries from 43 countries and territories. Activating the city as a whole, Art Basel expands across Messe Basel, public spaces, and leading institutions, anchoring a major week of exhibitions and cultural events throughout Basel and the wider region.
Showcasing a diverse range of galleries representing historical, modern, postwar, contemporary, and emerging practices, Art Basel offers a snapshot of the global art scene at a specific moment, bringing together different generations, regions, and artistic styles within a single exhibition. Over the first four days of the fair, Galerie has curated a selection of must-see masterworks displayed at several of the top international galleries in this year’s edition.
Alexander Calder | Tina Kim Gallery
Alexander Calder was a pioneering American sculptor who revolutionized modern art by integrating kinetic movement into three-dimensional works. Renowned as the creator of the mobile, Calder departed from traditional heavy, static sculpture to produce light, dynamic pieces that engage with time, randomness, and natural air currents. His diverse career included mechanical toys, intricate wire portraits, jewelry, paintings, and large public steel structures worldwide.
The artist’s Untitled (Carousel) is a significant kinetic sculpture that highlights his creative adaptation to the resource shortages during World War II. Created in 1942, when conventional industrial materials were scarce, Calder utilized Surrealist assemblage techniques, incorporating unconventional materials such as discarded glass and bottle necks. This sculpture, characteristic of Calder’s mobiles, transforms a static sculpture into an engaging experience through light, air currents, and motion. The reflective glass pieces catch and refract light, artistically suggesting the lively movements of a carousel, echoing the playful, theatrical essence of Calder’s early multimedia work, Calder’s Circus.
—Paul Laster
