BASEL, Switzerland — The sales register continued to ring for modern and contemporary art at the 45th edition of Art Basel, though at a slower pace than the frenetic action on Tuesday and Wednesday, when attendance was limited to VIP card holding guests. Some seasoned observers say Basel is a one-day fair, meaning a lot of sales take place at the opening and then the event goes into sleep mode, but the current strength and depth of the market is extending that critical time frame.
“I was expecting today to be quiet,” said New York’s Fergus McCaffrey, “but I’ve been pleasantly proven wrong.”