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Four days of art - a collective achievement of the region

From September 17 to September 20, 2020 Basel was under the sign of modern and contemporary art. The newly launched Kunsttage Basel met with great interest among the people of Basel - and beyond. From St. Johann across the Münsterplatz to the Dreispitz-Areal, art was made tangible, whether in galleries, museums, exhibition rooms or during guided tours of the special project 'The Possible is Monstrous' in public space. The organizers draw a very positive conclusion.

About 10 weeks ago the idea of the Kunsttage Basel was born. The goal of the Kunsttage was to revitalize the regional cultural life under within the current situation and to encourage the public to physically experience art again. Around 50 galleries, museums, exhibition spaces and projects in public space were involved in this joint project. It was only thanks to this excellent cooperation that it was possible to meet the difficult conditions surrounding Covid-19 and to write a new chapter in the tradition of Basel's and Baselland's cultural support. The organizers, supporters and contributors draw a positive conclusion - especially pleasing was the unbroken enthusiasm for art among the population.

Marc Spiegler, Global Director of Art Basel said: 'In a time of unprecedented challenges, it's great to also see unprecedented collaborations, expanding even further Basel's long history of support for culture. The Kunsttage Basel allowed us to have the physical interactions essential to experiencing and discovering art, and to bring the artworld back together en masse after too long apart.'

Daniel Kurjaković from the Kunstmuseum Basel and Initiator of Kunsttage Basel and Co-Curator of 'The Possible is Monstrous. Works in public space' said: 'A lively interest in the city and the arts, plenty of desire to discover and many strolling people: with the Kunsttage Basel our expectations were exceeded. A quiet, yet widespread cultural pessimism was countered by an unexcited city-wide experience of art can be contrasted. The Dürrenmatt borrowed titles for the works of art colleagues and I curated works in public space still resonate: The Possible is Monstrous. Indeed!'

Carlo Knöll, Director of Gallery Knöll and Initiator of Kunsttage Basel said: 'I am overjoyed about how the Kunsttage Basel went. Dialogues, encounters and exchanges; the need for it seems to be obviously quite strong, and culture is and will remain a meeting place for this.'

'The Possible is Monstrous. Works in public space' was a specially created project as part of Kunsttage Basel, presenting contemporary art works by local, national and international artists from different generations in the public space. The works created a link between the city center of Basel and the Dreispitz-Areal. The project was organized by Kunsttage Basel and was jointly curated by Elena Filipovic (Kunsthalle Basel), Ines Goldbach (Kunsthaus Baselland), Daniel Kurjaković (Kunstmuseum Basel) and Samuel Leuenberger (SALTS/Art Basel Parcours). The project received financial support from Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt and Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Landschaft and was logistically supported by Art Basel. The project ran from September 17 to September 20, 2020.