Art Basel event looks at branching out to Beijing

By Joshua Levitt in Miami Beach
Published: December 8 2007 02:00

Art Basel - the art fair that spawned Art Basel Miami Beach - is exploring branching out to Beijing with a new partner, Design Miami.

Both Art Basel fairs are owned by MCH Messe Schweiz, the Swiss convention centre and event management group. René Kamm, chief executive, said yesterday that a share swap sealed with Design Miami, an interior design fair co-founded by Craig Robins that runs concurrently, would open the door "to an approach to the east".

Mr Kamm said he expected the partnership to develop ideas for new international concepts within a year, including a possible Design Miami Beijing, "with an art component to complement the interior design".

"We cannot simply replicate Art Basel directly for Asia because the Asian market is still at a very developing phase and the art market is so demand-driven and there is already a shortage of quality artwork. But certainly features of our franchise, adapted to the state of the Asian market, is now possible with Design Miami," Mr Kamm said.
MCH Messe Schweiz has bought 50 per cent of Design Miami Basel, which runs the interior design fair in Basel, and a 10 per cent stake of Design Miami, the original fair, which owns the global rights for future projects.

Mr Robins is also founder and president of Dacra Group, an urban redevelopment and property company that created Miami's Design District. Dacra Global, the international arm of his company, has an alliance with Beijing-based construction company Modern Group to build 50 per cent of the retail component of a $100m, 230,000 sq metre development called Pop Moma and Grand Moma in Beijing.

Mr Robins said a possible Art Basel/Design Miami Beijing project could dovetail nicely with the development.

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CopyrightThe Financial Times Limited 2007