Basel fair showcases art flowing to and from China

The global art market returned to growth in 2025, with sales rising 4% year-on-year to an estimated $59.6 billion, according to the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026. 

That recovery was on full display at this year's Art Basel fair. Widely seen as one of the most important events in the art world calendar, it brought together 290 galleries from 43 countries and territories. 

Presenting works by more than 4,000 artists – from Damien Hirst's preserved sheep to museum-quality Picassos – the fair once again attracted major collectors, institutions and art lovers from around the world.

The Art Basel and UBS report found that the global market's recovery was driven by renewed confidence at the high end, with public auction sales rising 9% and dealer sales increasing 2%. Art fair sales also strengthened, accounting for 35% of dealer turnover in 2025 – their highest share since 2022.

According to the report, China is the third-largest art market in the world, accounting for 14% of global sales by value, behind only the United States and the United Kingdom. Together, those three markets represented 76% of global art sales last year.

That influence was visible in Basel, where Chinese galleries were represented across the fair. Among them was ShanghART, one of China's pioneering contemporary galleries, which has been bringing artists to Art Basel for more than two decades. 

This year it showcased works by Ding Yi, the Shanghai-based painter known for his large abstract canvases built around repeated crosses and geometric symbols.

"China is very, very interesting because the artists there have a very good education," said Lorenz Helbling, director of ShanghART. "They have a lot of competition and they often have a global view."

China's importance at Art Basel, however, is not only about the artists on display. Dealers say Chinese collectors, private museums and institutions are becoming an increasingly important force in the market, with demand spanning from established blue-chip names to younger contemporary artists.

That diversity is something highlighted by Beijing Commune, another influential Chinese gallery at the fair. Founded in 2004, the Beijing gallery has played an important role in promoting Chinese contemporary artists internationally and says the domestic collector base is broadening.

"Our market is very diversified," said Lu Jingjing, director of Beijing Commune. "Chinese collectors, whether private museums or private collectors, have very diverse interests."