The market responded with precision and speed. Mid-range works vanished within hours of the preview, snapped up by eager hands. The overall quality was nothing short of remarkable. Sections devoted to historical pieces and modernist masterpieces were impeccably curated, tailored to the tastes of advanced collectors who demand nothing less than perfection. A strong feminist thread also wove through the fair, with a thoughtful emphasis on women artists across both modern and contemporary spheres.
Upstairs, in the contemporary section, the energy shifted, more eclectic, more restless. A vibrant mix of proposals, some sharp and urgent, others experimental, inviting debate rather than consensus.
Yet, despite the tremors of geopolitics and a noticeably quieter American market, the numbers were undeniable. As Artnet News reported, the opening day saw multiple seven-figure sales, including blue-chip works by Mark Rothko and Leonora Carrington. While the mood was more restrained, ambition remained intact. In 2025, Art Basel once again proved its ability to masterfully balance desire, rigor, and the relentless pulse of the market.
Unlimited
Perfect for those seeking maximum immersion in art, Unlimited, the section of Art Basel dedicated to monumental works, installations, and performances, opened its doors on Monday, June 16, transforming a 16.000-square-meter hall into a veritable laboratory of grand ideas. Curated by Giovanni Carmine, director of Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, this year’s edition intensely reflects the tensions and utopias of our time.
There are 67 projects, represented by 92 galleries, a slight reduction from 76 in 2024. This decrease is partly due to the ambitious scale and exceptional quality of the installations presented this year, many of which are larger and more technically complex than in previous editions. The projects address themes such as community, coexistence, work, and resistance, through a rich array of languages including sculpture, painting, performance, and textiles, with a strong emphasis on three-dimensionality. In this scenario of global power, two Brazilian galleries stand out with particularly impressive proposals: Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel and Raquel Arnaud, both asserting the strength of Brazilian art within this monumental and conceptually charged context.
Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel
At Art Basel Unlimited, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, in partnership with Sikkema Jenkins & Co. and Stephen Friedman, presents Os Comedores de Terra, 2025, a major new work by Luiz Zerbini. The immersive 360-degree installation combines a five-meter painting with vibrant sculptures that mimic precious stones and mineral formations using the trompe-l’oeil technique. Addressing the environmental impact of gold mining and the contamination of the Amazon River, the work creates a striking dialogue between painting and sculpture, bringing the depicted minerals into the physical space.
Zerbini first explored these sculptural forms two decades ago in an installation set in a Japanese garden at MAM Rio de Janeiro. Now, they return in a radically different context, forming an apocalyptic landscape where scenes of devastation coexist with seductive textures and hypnotic visual effects.
Raquel Arnaud
The Raquel Arnaud Gallery presents Labyrinthe de Transchromie A, 1965–2017, an iconic installation by Carlos Cruz-Diez, shown in edition 2 of 5 and priced at $850.000. The presentation reaffirms the gallery’s long-standing relationship with the Venezuelan kinetic master, which dates back to the 1980s. This monumental work invites viewers to engage with color as a dynamic, ever-changing experience, an essential concept at the core of Cruz-Diez’s practice.
Raquel Arnaud has a distinguished history at Unlimited; in 2018, she presented the Translucent Chromointerference installation, which was subsequently acquired and permanently installed in the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark.
Feature
Almeida & Dale
Almeida & Dale presents a selection of works by José Antonio da Silva, a self-taught artist who transformed his rural experience into a powerful and singular artistic language. His paintings, created between 1950 and 1988, portray landscapes, agricultural life, and popular festivals, blending humor with moments of drama. Celebrated in international biennials, Silva rejected the label of “primitive painter,” affirming his independent and critical perspective on society. The booth saw strong demand, with three works acquired by collectors from Russia, France, and Germany, reflecting the growing international appreciation for his legacy.
Raquel Arnaud
In the Feature sector the gallery celebrates 50 years of collaboration with Sérgio Camargo through a focused solo presentation. The booth brings together a remarkable selection of his iconic wooden reliefs, known as toquinhos, alongside sculptures in carrara marble, black belgium stone, and bronze. Camargo’s practice is defined by his rigorous exploration of light, shadow, materiality, and spatial rhythm, reaffirming his place as one of Brazil’s most influential sculptors.
Galleries
Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel
At Art Basel 2025, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel reports strong sales driven mainly by European collectors, noting a quieter presence of American and Brazilian buyers this year. The gallery placed nearly all the works in its booth.
Highlights include paintings by Marina Rheingantz, acquired for a private collection in Geneva, and two works by Luiz Zerbini, one purchased by a collector in London.
A piece by Tadáskia was sold, while a painting by Lucia Laguna found a new home in a New York collection. The gallery also sold a collage by Beatriz Milhazes and two works by Leda Catunda. Additionally, a sculpture by Erika Verzutti was acquired, and another by Ivens Machado is currently on hold.
Further notable transactions include a work by Ernesto Neto, and a piece by Pélagie Gbaguidi placed with an institution. Among the main highlights, Adriana Varejão’s Ruína Charque is under negotiation with an institution, with details yet to be disclosed.
Gomide & Co
Gomide & Co presents a selection exploring the artistic dialogue between Brazil and Europe through Concrete and Neo-Concrete movements. Curated with Alex Balgiu, the show invites viewers to engage with art as a living, ever-evolving organism.
Even before the official opening, the preview brought swift results with the sale of a stricking masterpiece on canvas Landscape project for Brasilia by Roberto Burle Marx for R$2.5M ($463.000). A sought-after work by Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato was placed for approximately R$550.000 ($102.000), while another piece by the artist remains under advanced negotiation. During the fair the gallery reported two sales of Max Bill both painting and sculpture.
Roberto Burle Marx
Untitled, 1989
Acrylic on canvas
200 x 167 cm
Asking price: $460.000
Mendes Wood
Mendes Wood DM presents a vibrant selection of contemporary works, highlighting the gallery’s commitment to bold artistic voices. The presentation features a new landscape painting by Patricia Leite, shaped by personal memories and emotional impressions, and Ó Ó Ó Ó, a bronze sculpture by Solange Pessoa that evokes primordial forms and animistic energies. The booth also includes a curated group of works by Lygia Pape, underscoring the gallery’s dedication to bridging contemporary practices with key figures from Brazilian modern and conceptual art history. Additionally, the gallery brought a monumental Bicho by Lygia Clark, a rare and significant piece that drew strong attention at the fair.
The booth also includes work by Eunnam Hong, a South Korea-born, Brooklyn-based artist, who is currently 46 years old. Following strong demand at Frieze, where her work quickly sold, the piece at Art Basel was already placed before the fair opened, with a waiting list of collectors eager to acquire her work
On top of that, Pol Taburet, whose work is featured in the Basel Social Club’s site-specific program inside a former bank, will also be one of the artists participating in the upcoming São Paulo Biennial.
Luisa Strina
Luisa Strina’s booth offers a snapshot of the gallery’s 50-year trajectory, featuring key names like Cildo Meireles, Fernanda Gomes, Anna Maria Maiolino, Leonilson, and Marepe. A highlight of the fair was the sale of a poétic almost surrealistic painting by Marepe to the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), marking an important institutional placement for the artist.
A Gentil Carioca
The gallery celebrates strong institutional placements, including works by Ana Silva, currently on view at Kunsthaus Baselland, and by Agrade Camíz and Vinicius Gerheim, both featured at the Grand Palais in Paris. Looking ahead, Sallisa Rosa will participate in the upcoming São Paulo Biennial, while Miguel Afa presents his solo exhibition O vento continua, todavia at Paço Imperial in Rio de Janeiro, Barsil.
A recent addition to the gallery’s roster, Mariana Rocha also stands out. Formerly represented by HOA, the São Paulo-based gallery that recently closed, Rocha is now part of A Gentil Carioca’s program while maintaining her representation in Bordeaux. Her work, which moves fluidly between drawing, installation, and sculpture, continues to gain institutional attention. “It’s a great moment to strengthen the visibility of artists like Mariana” says Márcio Botner, co-founder of A Gentil Carioca. “Art Basel remains the most important gathering point for the global art world, and seeing the resonance of artists like Ana Silva, Agrade Camíz, and Vinicius Gerheim, with works acquired by major institutions across Europe and the U.S., proves how fundamental it is for us to be here.”
International Galleries
Alison Jacques
Alison Jacques showcases three rare works by Lygia Clark, presented in dialogue with the artist’s current retrospective in Berlin. Among them, a 1956 gouache with collage was placed in a major American collection. While the final sale price was not disclosed, the work was offered at an asking price of $300.000.
Lygia Clark
Untitled, 1956
Gouache and collage on paper
50 x 39 cm
Sold
Lisson
Lisson brought a strong selection to the fair, including works by Dalton Paula, Tunga, Carmen Herrera, Anish Kapoor, Olga de Amaral, Pedro Reyes, among others.
Among the notable sales, a sculpture from Tunga‘s Steel Pod Series, 2013, made of stainless steel, iron, and seashells, sold for $120.000. Dalton Paula‘s impressive painting Xica Manicongo, 2025, which combines oil and gold leaf on canvas, sold for $200.000 and anticipates his upcoming solo exhibition at Lisson Gallery New York in September.
Dalton Paula
Xica Manicongo, 2025
Oil and golden leaf on canvas
177 × 160 x 4 cm
Sold: $200.000
Tunga
Untitled (Steel Pod Series), 2013
Stainless steel, iron, and seashell
120 x 50 x 50 cm
Sold: $120.000
Max Hetzler
At this edition Galerie Max Hetzler showcases an impressive roster of international names, including Bridget Riley, Albert Oehlen, Katharina Grosse, Günther Förg, and others. Among them, Brazilian artist Janaina Tschäpe stands out with her first presentation at the gallery, already marked by great success. Her painting Blushing Afternoon, 2025 was sold for $160.000, ahead of her upcoming solo exhibition at Max Hetzler in Berlin this November.
Janaina Tschäpe
Blushing Aternoon, 2025
Oil and oil stick on linen
244 x 193 cm
Sold: $160.000
Victoria Miro
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Adriana Varejão
Celadon Song, 2025
Oil and plaster on canvas
70 x 70 cm
Sold
The Mayor
To celebrate its centenary, the gallery presents a strong selection of Latin American art at Art Basel 2025, with a focus on key Brazilian figures like Waldemar Cordeiro, Judith Lauand, Almir Mavignier, Décio Noviello, Hélio Oiticica, and Mira Schendel.
Building on the success of its Waldemar Cordeiro solo at TEFAF New York, the gallery furthers his international reach with rare works. It also joins Art Basel’s Digital Mile, showcasing Cordeiro’s pioneering computer-generated prints. The booth highlights milestones in Concrete, Neo-Concrete, and Conceptual art.
Commenting on the fair, the gallery noted: “A lot of institutional interest, which always takes time. Basically very good vibes and many very positive comments on the beauty of the installation.”
David Kordansky
At David Kordansky’s booth, Brazilian artist Chico da Silva is featured with his vibrant, fantastical compositions inspired by Amazonian myths and nature. A self-taught artist of Indigenous heritage, Chico developed a unique visual language blending folklore and imagination. His inclusion reflects the growing international recognition of his work and the gallery’s focus on expanding the global art narrative.
Chico da Silva
Untitled, 1966
Gouache and mixed media on paper
66 x 91 cm
Asking price: $55.000
Travesia Cuatro
Travesía Cuatro presents works by two influential Brazilian artists, Eleonore Koch and Miriam Inez da Silva, highlighting the gallery’s dedication to bringing overlooked Latin American voices to the forefront. Koch, known for her delicate compositions that explore the relationship between objects and space, was a key figure in Brazilian modernism. Miriam Inez da Silva, a pioneering Black artist from Recife, created vibrant works rooted in Afro-Brazilian culture and spirituality. Both artists have recently experienced a significant revival in institutional and critical recognition, offering international audiences the opportunity to engage with their unique legacies.
Eleonore Koch
Untitled, 1990
Tempera on fabric
59 x 72 cm
Asking price: $300.000
Miriam Inez Da Silva
Untitled, 1981
Oil on wood
29 x 40 cm
Asking price: $25.000
Jan Mot
The Belgian gallery Jan Mot presents in its booth a sculpture from Lygia Clark’s iconic Bichos series, a fundamental work in the history of Brazilian Neo-Concrete art. Created in the 1960s, these interactive, hinged metal sculptures invite viewers to manipulate and reshape them, challenging the boundaries between artwork and participant. The inclusion of this piece reflects the gallery’s ongoing commitment to conceptual and historically significant practices within contemporary art.
Sikkema Malloy Jenkins
Sikkema Jenkins & Co., which participated in Unlimited with the joint presentation of Os Comedores de Terra, 2025 by Luiz Zerbini, alongside Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel and Stephen Friedman Gallery, also featured a new painting by the artist at its booth.
Titled Jurerê, 2025, the large-scale acrylic on canvas continues Zerbini’s exploration of vibrant compositions that blend elements of landscape, abstraction, and meticulous patterns, offering a more contemplative counterpoint to the immersive, environmentally charged installation on view in Unlimited.
Luiz Zerbini
Jurerê, 2025
Acrylic on canvas
160 × 280 cm
Sean Kelly
Janaina Tschäpe also stood out at Sean Kelly’s booth with her vibrant large-scale painting Flaming Summer Meadow, 2024, offered at an asking price of $180.000. Her work was shown alongside major names like Marina Abramović and Kehinde Wiley, as well as Julian Charrière, who is currently the subject of the exhibition Midnight Zone, on view at the Tinguely Museum until November 2. This presentation reflects the gallery’s commitment to bold, diverse, and globally resonant artistic voices.
Janaina Tschäpe
Flaming summer meadow, 2024
Oil and oil stick on linen
203 x 292 x 5 cm
Asking Price: $180.000
Pedro Cera
The gallery reports the sale of a work by Ilê Sartuzi to a highly significant private collection. The artist gained visibility following an intervention at the British Museum in London on June 18, 2024, where he replaced a 17th-century coin with a replica and deposited the original into the museum’s donation box. This action, documented on video, was part of his MFA thesis exhibition at Goldsmiths and resonates with recent scandals involving the disappearance of items from the museum’s collection. Additionally, Ilê Sartuzi was featured in the print edition of Frieze magazine, issue number 252.
Additionally, the gallery represents Mongolian artist Bekhbaatar Enkhtur, who is currently in residence with The Ekard Residency and will participate in the Bukhara Biennale in Uzbekistan, curated by Diana Campbell, the same edition that will feature Brazilian artist Marina Perez Simão.
Ilê Sartuzi
Sleight of Hand, 2023-2024
Two-channel video installation
colour, sound, 8’ 43”
Maureen Paley
At Maureen Paley, the gallery presents Sapo Pai, a painting by Paulo Nimer Pjota, known for his layered compositions that blend symbols of popular culture, archaeology, and everyday life. The artist is also holding a solo exhibition, A Lua e Eu, at the Kunstinstituut Melly, on display until September 21, 2025, where the artist shifts his focus from urban images to rural landscapes and memories of his childhood in São José do Rio Preto.
Paulo Nimer Pjota
Sapo Pai, 2025
Acrylic, oil and tempera on canvas
210 x 180 cm
Asking price: $45.000
In a context of exceptional quality both at the heart of the fair, with rare historical masterpieces, and in parallel exhibitions such as the stunning Vija Celmins show and the re-hung permanent collection at the Fondation Beyeler, or the remarkable Medardo Rosso exhibition at Kunstmuseum, process emerged as a central thread.
From Adriana Varejão’s conceptual dissections of material and history, to Janaina Tschäpe’s corporeal landscapes, and the performance legacy of Lygia Clark Brazilian artists continue to assert the visionary depth of their practices.
Their work resonates through its historical continuity and bold contemporaneity, constantly renewed, always relevant and the market, keen as ever, is paying attention.