Basel has Switzerland's best and hugely popular football club, while Zurich, the country's biggest city, has two football clubs, and nobody seems to care. Hello?!? Zurich, what's going on (jo näj, was isch loos)?!? Basel has Art Basel but, as you may know, only a few galleries..., while Zurich is known for its vibrant art scene with its galleries, institutions and many art-related activities. The 45th Art Basel opens this week and we wondered about the presence of Zurich galleries at Art Basel since its debut in 1970.
We went to the public library, asked for all the catalogs and worked our way through numerous lists to compile two more lists. A few remarks before we get there:
Initially, the organizing committee of Art Basel was not exclusively composed by galleries but included also the directors of Kunsthalle Basel (Peter F. Althaus) and Kunstmuseum Basel (the influential Franz Meyer). It became “galleries only” in 1974.
Christie's Contemporary Art London was an exhibitor in 1974. Can you imagine? The devil at the table eating from the galleries plates? Well, it only lasted for one year.
Daniel Keel, the founder of the famous and legendary publishing house Diogenes Verlag (ever heard about the book The Parfum by Patrick Süskind, first published by Diogenes?) participated with his gallery three times (in 1973, 1975, and 1977).
Did you know that Gallery Bruno Bischofberger was absent from Art Basel for thirteen years from 1977 to 1990? Other galleries paused as well, for one, two or more years. They left, came back, left again, something impossible today, because “Qui va à la chasse perd sa place” as the French say.
Parkett Art magazine entered in 1984 and is there for the 32nd time this year.
Zurich's winner? The one and only Gallery Annemarie Verna, present since 1971. Congratulations!
There only once? BolteLang (they are still young, so the future is theirs), Christa (1977), Christoffers (1983), Grieder Contemporary (premieres this year), Ehrensperger (1984), Paul Facchetti (1970), Edition Flamberg (1971), Forum Fine Art (1982), Marlene Frei (1989), Roswitha Haftmann (1979), Marc Jancou (1993), Junior (1975), Kornfeld Zürich (1975), Le Corbusier/Heidi Weber (1977), Magazin (1988), Neue Schweizerische Bibliothek (1971), Nathan (1974), Nunc (1975), Schöttle (2014), Schwitter (1970), sec 52 (1991), Gregor Staiger (premieres this year), Fabian & Claude Walter (2005), Susan Wyss (1991).
How many Zurich galleries this year? 14.
If you find any error in our list, please send an email to info@kunsthallezurich.ch.
List of Zurich based galleries arranged according to their number of participations:
44x Annemarie Verna, 1971–today
39x Renée Ziegler, 1970–1975, 1979–2011
33x Istvan Schlégel, 1973–1980, 1982–2001, 2003–2007
32x Parkett, 1984–today
31x Stähli, 1974–2004
29x Bruno Bischofberger, 1970–1976, 1991–2012
28x Jamileh Weber, 1978, 1980, 1986–2011
27x Lelong, 1987–2013
24x Bob van Orsouw, 1992–today
23x Mai 36, 1993–today
23x Mark Müller, 1993–today
23x Eva Presenhuber, 1993–today (as Walcheturm 1993–1994, 1997 and as Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber
20x Thomas Ammann Fine Art, 1996–today
20x Blumarts/Peter Blum, 1982–1983, 1987–1988, 1993, 1999–2013
20x Marlborough, 1972–1974, 1994–2010
19x Maurer, 1976–1994
18x Hauser & Wirth, 1998–today (2001–2003 also with Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber, 2000 only with Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber)
18x Peter Kilchmann, 1994–1995, 2000–today
17x zur Stockeregg, 1984–1989, 1992–2001, 2009
12x Howeg, 1979–1989, 1991
11x Ars Futura/Nicola von Senger, 1994–1999, 2002–2006
10x Gmurzynska, 2006–today
10x Suzanne Bollag, 1970, 1972–1978, 1980–1981
10x Kunstsalon Wolfsberg, 1970–1979
10x Maeght, 1972–1978, 1980, 1986, 1987 (Maeght Lelong)
9x Wolfsberg Verlag, 1980–1989
8x André Emmerich, 1973–1978
8x Susanna Kulli, 2004–2011 (based in St. Gallen before)
8x Rosenberg, 1984–1991
8x Scalo, 1999–2006
8x Semiha Huber, 1970–1973, 1976, 1983–1985
7x Lelong Editeur, 1993–1996, 1999–2000, 2013
7x Elisabeth Kaufmann, 1984–1988, 2006–2007
7x Peter Noser, 1983–1989
7x Francesca Pia, 2009–today (based in Berne before)
7x Trittligasse, 1979, 1982, 1985–1989
6x Arte Arena/Bob Gysin, 1978–1980/1981–1983
6x Brandstetter & Wyss, 1996–2001
6x Gimpel & Hanover, 1970–1975
6x Semiha Huber, 1970–1973, 1976, 1986
6x Ernst Scheidegger, 1977–1982
6x Jörg Stummer, 1986–1991
6x Stummer & Hubschmid, 1971–1976
5x Freymond-Guth, 2010–2014
5x Marlyse Jossevel, 1978–1982
5x Quer, 1986–1990
5x Royag, 1978–1982
5x Severina Teucher, 1979–1980, 1982–1984
4x Arndt & Partner, 2005–2008
4x Art Focus, 2000–2003
4x Kaj Forsblom, 1993–1996
4x Roswitha Benkert, 1979, 1982–1984
4x Edwynn Houk, 2011–today
4x International Artist Centre 1972, 1973, 1974 (Galerie Anita Schmid), 1975
4x Knoedler, 1982–1985
4x Buchhandlung Robert Krauthammer, 1970–1973
4x Edition Kunstkreis, 1981–1984 (Edition Kunstkreis, Luzern, 1970)
4x Nicoline Pon, 1977, 1982, 1984–1985
4x RaebervonStenglin, 2012–today
4x Scheidegger + Maurer, 1972–1975
4x Seestrasse, 1980–1983
3x Susi Brunner, 1977–1978, 1985
3x Cestio, 1994–1996
3x ACP Viviane Ehrli Galerie, 1995–1997
3x Karma International, 2009, 2014–today
3x Frey, 1979, 1987–1988
3x Gimpel-Emmerich, 1979–1980, 1982
3x Daniel Keel, 1973, 1975, 1977
3x Kröner, 1979–1980, 1982
3x Ida Niggli, 1974, 1975 (in Appenzell), 1976
3x Edition Partanen, 1987–1989
3x Silhoutte, 1980–1982
2x art in progress, 1972–1973
2x Amstutz Fine Art, 1977–1978
2x Emmerich/Baumann, 1986–1987
2x Kunstnachrichten, 1986–1987
2x Kurfis, 1973–1974
2x Lempen, 1979–1980
2x Lullin + Ferrari, 2010, 2012
2x Mark, 1976, 1978
2x Gottfried Murbach, 1981–1982
2x Neue Galerie, 1972–1973
2x Lawrence Rubin, 1996–1997
2x Turske Fine Art, 1980–1981
2x Turske & Turske, 1986, 1992
2x Xartcollection, 1971–1972
1x BolteLang, 2014
1x Christa, 1977
1x Christoffers, 1983
1x Ehrensperger, 1984
1x Paul Facchetti, 1970
1x Forum Fine Art, 1982
1x Konrad Fischer Zürich, 1983
1x Edition Flamberg, 1971
1x Edition Marlene Frei, 1989
1x Junior, 1975
1x Hilt, 1982
1x Marc Jancou, 1993
1x Grieder Contemporary, 2015
1x Roswitha Haftmann, 1979
1x Le Corbusier/Heidi Weber, 1977
1x Kornfeld Zürich, 1975
1x Magazin, 1988
1x Neue Schweizerische Bibliothek, 1971
1x Nathan, 1974
1x Nunc, 1975
1x Schöttle, 2014
1x Schwitter, 1970
1x sec 52, 1991
1x Gregor Staiger, 2015
1x Stemmle/Roggen, 1976
1x Fabian & Claude Walter, 2005
1x Susan Wyss, 1991
Alphabetical list of Zurich based galleries at Art Basel since 1970:
ACP Viviane Ehrli Galerie, 1995–1997
Thomas Ammann Fine Art, 1996-today
Amstutz Fine Art, 1977–1978
Arndt & Partner, 2005–2008
Ars Futura/Nicola von Senger, 1994–1999, 2002–2006
Art Focus, 2000–2003
art in progress, 1972–1973
Arte Arena/Bob Gysin, 1978–1980/1981–1983
Roswitha Benkert, 1979, 1982–1984
Bruno Bischofberger, 1970–1976, 1991–2012
Blumarts/Peter Blum, 1982–1983, 1987–1988, 1993, 1999–2013
Suzanne Bollag, 1970, 1972–1978, 1980–1981
BolteLang, 2014
Brandstetter & Wyss, 1996–2001
Susi Brunner, 1977–1978, 1985
Cestio, 1994–1996
Christa, 1977
Christoffers, 1983
Ehrensperger, 1984
André Emmerich, 1973–1978
Emmerich/Baumann, 1986–1987
Paul Facchetti, 1970
Konrad Fischer Zürich, 1983
Edition Flamberg, 1971
Forum Fine Art, 1982
Kaj Forsblom, 1993–1996
Marlene Frei, 1989
Frey, 1979, 1987–1988
Freymond-Guth, 2010–2014
Gimpel-Emmerich, 1979–1980, 1982
Gimpel & Hanover, 1970–1975
Gmurzynska, 2006–today
Grieder Contemporary, 2015
Roswitha Haftmann, 1979
Hauser & Wirth, 1998–today (2001–2003 also with Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber, 2000 only with Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber)
Hilt, 1982
Edwynn Houk, 2011–today
Howeg, 1979–1989, 1991
Semiha Huber, 1970–1973, 1976, 1986
International Artist Centre, 1972–1975 (1974 Galerie Anita Schmid)
Marc Jancou, 1993
Marlyse Jossevel, 1978–1982
Junior, 1975
Karma International, 2009, 2014–today
Elisabeth Kaufmann, 1984–1988, 2006–2007
Daniel Keel, 1973, 1975, 1977
Peter Kilchmann, 1994–1995, 2000–today
Knoedler, 1982–1985
Kornfeld Zürich, 1975
Buchhandlung Robert Krauthammer, 1970–1973
Kröner, 1979–1980, 1982
Edition Kunstkreis, 1981–1984 (Edition Kunstkreis, Luzern, 1970)
Susanna Kulli, 2004–2011 (based in St. Gallen before)
Kurfis, 1973–1974
Le Corbusier/Heidi Weber, 1977
Lelong, 1987–2013
Lelong Editeur, 1993–1996, 1999–2000, 2013
Lempen, 1979–1980
Lullin + Ferrari, 2010, 2012
Maeght, 1972–1978, 1980, 1986, 1987 (Maeght Lelong)Magazin, 1988
Mai 36, 1993–today
Mark, 1976, 1978
Marlborough, 1972–1974, 1994–2010
Maurer, 1976–1994
Mark Müller, 1993–today
Gottfried Murbach, 1981–1982
Neue Schweizerische Bibliothek, 1971
Nathan, 1974
Ida Niggli, 1974, 1975 (in Appenzell), 1976
Peter Noser, 1983–1989
Nunc, 1975
Bob van Orsouw, 1992–today
Parkett, 1984–today
Edition Partanen, 1987–1989
Francesca Pia, 2009–today (based in Berne before)
Neue Galerie, 1972–1973
Nicoline Pon, 1977, 1982, 1984–1985
Eva Presenhuber, 1993–today (as Walcheturm 1993–1994, 1997 and as Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber 2000–2003)
Quer 1986–1990
RaebervonStenglin, 2012–today
Rosenberg, 1984–1991
Royag, 1978–1982
Lawrence Rubin, 1996–1997
Scalo, 1999–2006
Scheidegger + Maurer, 1972–1975
Ernst Scheidegger, 1977–1982
Istvan Schlégel, 1973–1980, 1982–2001, 2003–2007
Schöttle, 2014
Schwitter, 1970
sec 52, 1991
Seestrasse, 1980–1983
Semiha Huber, 1970–1973, 1976, 1983–1985
Silhoutte, 1980–1982
Stähli, 1974–2004
Gregor Staiger, 2015
Stemmle/Roggen, 1976
zur Stockeregg, 1984–1989, 1992–2001, 2009
Jörg Stummer, 1986–1991
Stummer & Hubschmid, 1971–1976
Severina Teucher, 1979–1980, 1982–1984
Trittligasse, 1979, 1982, 1985–1989
Turske Fine Art, 1980–1981
Turske & Turske, 1986, 1992
Annemarie Verna, 1971-today
Fabian & Claude Walter, 2005
Jamileh Weber, 1978, 1980, 1986–2011
Kunstsalon Wolfsberg, 1970–1979
Wolfsberg Verlag, 1980–1989
Susan Wyss, 1991
Xartcollection, 1971–1972
Renée Ziegler, 1970–1975, 1979–2011
