ARTBASEL: THE SEAL OF SUCCESS 
Dealers and collectors packed on June 23rd 2000 at ArtBasel, the greatest event regarding Modern and Contemporary art, where some of the best pieces offered on the market can be found.
ArtBasel is also the place where most of tomorrow's big names in Contemporary Art are likely to be found, such as Wang Du, Zhang Xiaobang from China, Rebecca Horn, with her steel and feather surgical machines, Brigitte Kowantz, Filliou, Sollertis, Miriam Cahn, Couturier, Grigely, a deaf and dumb American artist, Romuald Hzoumé, Candice Breitz from South Africa, Fiona Rae, Jean-Luc Mylaine, S. Weissenbascher, Pia Fries, John Armleder or David Claerbout, an artist producing works with the help of a computer.
This event provides in addition an incredible selection of works by established artists such as Tinguely, Fautrier, Marcel Duchamp, Malevich, Thomas Hirschhorn, Basquiat, Warhol, Tony Cragg, Picasso, Calder, Léger, F. Bacon, Sol Lewitt, Juan Gris, Kandinsky, Feininger, Oscar Schlemmer, Jeff Koons, Max Ernst or Matisse.
The opening day was similar to a hectic gold rush with sales recorded in many parts of the fair where sellers and buyers were quite enthusiastic.
The Krugier gallery notably sold a Francis Bacon 1955 study for a Pope and a large Picasso painting of 1932. Basel-based Miklos von Bartha sold a triangular Minimalist work by Robert Mangold to an American buyer as well as a monumental gouache by Sol Lewitt titled “brushstrokes in all directions” and measuring 152 x 332 cm.
ArtBasel has become so much important in the eyes of connoisseurs that it has forced galleries to present some of their best pieces such as a Picasso sculpture of 1953 made with nails and screws, which was rapidly sold, a museum quality painting of 1917 by Juan Gris, offered at $ 1,8 million, a grey and blue Cubist painting by Picasso tagged at $ 15 million, a 1912 work by Kandinsky, “Study for the Blue Point”, already reserved, a great Feininger 1915 painting, “Locomotive with big wheel” for sale at $ 1,2 million, some important ink miniatures produced by Malevich around 1920 reserved at $ 200,000, a rare Oscar Schlemmer, “Silhouette for the Folkwang Circle” at $ 1,8 million, the box in a suitcase by Duchamp tagged at $ 750,000 by the French 1900-2000 gallery, a splendid 1963 Kounellis work already sold, some paintings by Lucio Fontana, five portraits by Oscar Kokoschka already reserved, funny wood sculptures by Jeff Koons such as “vase of Flowers”, sold on the opening day and the “Bird”, a 1923 assemblage by Max Ernst offered at $ 1,85 million as well as several stunning paintings by Warhol or Basquiat.
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