What happens when a discovery-driven art fair hits a milestone? VOLTA Basel 2025 answers with energy, elegance, and just enough irreverence to spark something new.
VOLTA Basel Turns 20—and Turns Heads
VOLTA Basel celebrates its 20th edition with 70 galleries from 28 countries, a new venue at Messeplatz, and an agenda rooted in discovery, diversity, and bold artistic vision. From SOLO presentations to a curated MENA pavilion and the return of longtime exhibitors, the fair embraces both legacy and innovation at the heart of Basel Art Week.
What’s new at VOLTA Basel’s 20th edition?
Plenty. The fair relocates to Pavilion 4.U, Messeplatz 21, just steps from Art Basel itself. From June 19 to 22 (VIP preview on the 18th), VOLTA occupies 4000 square meters of fresh space in its founding city. It’s not just a venue shift—it’s a homecoming with ambition.
This year’s edition features 70 galleries from 28 countries, a bold curatorial move that balances continuity with novelty. Returning stars like Galerie Andreas Binder (Munich), Ethan Cohen Gallery (New York), and Gallery HAN (Seoul) meet first-timers like BIOSKOP BALKAN (Belgrade) and Studio Arrows (Tokyo), forming a mosaic of artistic voices that stretch across continents and concepts.
How does VOLTA define its curatorial pulse in 2025?
Through focused SOLO presentations, where galleries showcase a single artist, viewers can plunge into unfiltered creative universes. Expect visual poetry from Czech painter Adéla Janská via Adrian Sutton (Paris), or sculptural elegance from Pascal Piermé through Delamour (Paris).
Then there’s FIRSTS, a curated section spotlighting debut galleries. Galerie One (Paris) pairs Liu Bolin with Sebas Velasco in a fusion of camouflage and urban realism. Insight ArtSpace, Gabriel Fine Arts, and BK Chromatic Galerie also bring fresh perspectives.
What role does geography play in VOLTA’s narrative?
An essential one. This edition honors its Swiss roots, amplifying Basel’s artistic ecosystem with local forces like Galerie Katapult and Lechbinska Gallery. A public event, Liebs Basel, Viele Dangg, opens the fair for free to Basel residents on June 20—a tribute to the city itself.
Meanwhile, the MENA Pavilion, curated by Beirut-based Randa Sadaka, builds bridges between heritage and present. Fann À Porter (Dubai), Gallery Misr (Cairo), and Mojdeh Gallery (Tehran) animate this regional showcase with voices that confront, reinterpret, and imagine beyond borders.
Why does VOLTA still matter—perhaps more than ever?
Because it dares. It connects global vision with local intimacy. It platforms emerging artists and avant-garde thinkers. And it never loses sight of its mission: to be a place of firsts, of risks, of discoveries.
Lee Cavaliere, VOLTA’s Artistic Director, calls it “a platform for the new.” After two decades, it still feels that way.
VOLTA Basel 2025 is more than an anniversary—it’s a living archive of art’s next chapter. Between new narratives, old friends, and first-time revelations, the fair invites us not just to see art, but to witness evolution.
FAQ: Behind the Booths
- What is VOLTA Basel 2025? A contemporary art fair celebrating 20 years of discovery, featuring 70 galleries from around the world in the heart of Basel.
- When and where does the fair take place? June 19–22, 2025 at Pavilion 4.U, Messeplatz 21, Basel. VIP preview is on June 18.
- What makes this edition special? It marks VOLTA’s 20th anniversary with a new venue, curated SOLO shows, a MENA regional pavilion, and events honoring Basel’s art community.
- What is the MENA Pavilion? A curated exhibition by Randa Sadaka highlighting artists from the Middle East and North Africa with powerful cultural narratives.
- Can Basel locals attend for free? Yes—on Friday, June 20, from 11:00 to 16:00, Basel residents enjoy complimentary access as part of Liebs Basel, Viele Dangg.
Ready to rediscover the spirit of art through a global lens? VOLTA Basel 2025 awaits—where twenty years of daring discovery ignite the next wave of creativity.
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