The Art Basel Companion
For over 50 years, Art Basel has united galleries, artists, collectors, museums, and art enthusiasts at its international art fairs in Hong Kong, Basel, Paris and Miami Beach.
Every fair is a feast for the eyes. You’re bound to see artworks from iconic artists like Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, or Andy Warhol, but the driving force of Art Basel is discovery. It’s a place where emerging artists and galleries can rise to fame. A single presentation can spark a global trend.
And while the thousands of artworks are certainly the main draw, Art Basel is more than what’s on display. There are can’t-miss cultural programming in and around the show, such as conversations with leading artists, interactive experiences, performances and off-site exhibitions. As a visitor, the possibilities are endless. How do you make the most of your time at the show?
We are thrilled to partner with Microsoft to truly unlock the power of digital innovation to elevate our galleries and their artists, and create expanded opportunities for meaningful interactions with art.
Enter: the Art Basel Companion
The Art Basel app, with AI features powered by Microsoft Copilot, puts you at the center of the art world. Built on Microsoft Azure, the app uses Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Vision with the latest GPT-4o model to enhance and enrich the art-going experience. The app analyzes and sifts through Art Basel’s artwork database, populated by hundreds of galleries, to offer suggestions specifically curated for you. It’s like a personal art concierge that fits in your pocket.
Let’s say you’re a visitor who’d like to discover artworks from a specific gallery or global region. Or, maybe you’re interested in pieces inspired by fashion. Just prompt the Art Basel Companion with what you want to see and, within seconds, receive a curated list of artworks and galleries at your fingertips.
The app can even plan your entire day, from lattes to nightcaps. With one click, you’ll get a personalized itinerary filled with artist’s studio visits, panel discussions, parties, musical performances, and culinary experiences. For Art Basel VIP guests, the app even assists in unlocking exclusive benefits and offers. The app then syncs your itinerary and event RSVPs with your personal calendar for a seamless experience.
Seeing art through a new lens
For art enthusiasts of all levels—whether they’re newcomers or experts—having immediate access to an artist’s story and the context behind their work can help enrich interpretation. Understanding the materials and techniques used can enhance appreciation of the artwork’s complexity or artist’s craftsmanship, deepening your emotional response.
These AI features allow the art world to be more welcoming for newcomers while providing veteran collectors with more dynamic insights into artists and their respective practices.
Art Basel Lens, a camera feature inside the Art Basel app, uses Azure AI Computer Vision to scan artworks and give detailed information about the piece, the artist, and the gallery. Helping art lovers discover more and meaningfully engage with the work in real time.
Imagine you’re walking the show floor when your eyes land on a sculpture made entirely from bike tires and tubes. You take a picture of it using Art Basel Lens and discover it’s by Kim Dacres, an artist who makes her work using recycled and found rubber. The artwork is presented by Charles Moffett, a contemporary art gallery from New York.
Through Art Basel Lens, you learn that Dacres’ work is meant to evoke the resilience and durability of diverse communities that she aims to represent. By using these specific textures, she challenges perceptions of overlooked beauty and discarded materials through her practice.
With one click, you can share the photograph you took of the artwork with friends or on social media, pre-populated with the information about the artwork, artist, and gallery. From the app, you can also express your interest with the gallery directly to inquire about sales.
Deeper connections
Art is all about connection, which can be an overwhelming ask in the bustle of a massive event like Art Basel. But with the Art Basel app, an attendee or collector can have meaningful interactions with the artworks to deepen their appreciation for a particular artist’s story, process, or practice. Meanwhile, galleries can ensure priority information about the artists they represent reaches the broadest audience possible, helping increase the likelihood of follow-up inquiries and purchases.
Through innovation, the partnership between Microsoft and Art Basel puts the art world at your fingertips.
Our partnership with Art Basel is not just about technology; it’s about unlocking opportunities for deeper connections with artists and galleries—and providing unique insights and discoveries for attendees.
