A Kinder, Gentler Art Basel

Alexander Calder Yayoi Kusama Edward Ruscha David Hockney Joseph Cornell Rene Magritte Mary Heilmann Otto Piene

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“It’s much, much admired,” a gallery staffer said. “But it is a big price at this moment.”

So, the seven-year-old fair is still ticking. Even better, some announcements made just before the preview point toward its long-term health. Main sponsor UBS has reportedly signed up for a multi-year renewal of its patronage, and, perhaps more important, fair organizer MCH Swiss Exhibition Ltd. has booked another three years at the sprawling Miami Convention Center, wiping out persistent rumors that the southern Florida venue might be jettisoned for one in southern California. Judd Tully is Editor at Large of Art+Auction.