>> IT'S A VERY OLD CITY.

YOU CAN STILL SEE THESE MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS.

YOU CAN WALK.

PEOPLE TAKE THE TRAMWAY.

THEY FIND THAT A VERY ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

>> THE CITY OF BASEL, SWITZERLAND, IS, YOU COULD SAY, A STUDY IN CONTRAST -- CENTURIES-OLD BUILDINGS MINGLED WITH CUTTING-EDGE MODERN ARCHITECTURE.

>> THIS CITY IS SO SMALL.

YOU KNOW WHERE WE GO TO.

YOU WALK THROUGH THE CITY.

EVERYWHERE YOU KNOW PEOPLE, AND THAT'S ALSO TYPICAL BASEL.

>> IT'S A SMALL TOWN WITH AN INTERNATIONAL FLAIR, HIGHLY RATED HOTELS, AND A VIBRANT DINING SCENE, WHERE THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF DAILY LIFE IS OFTEN INJECTED WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR.

>> THIS IS THE SMALLEST MUSEUM IN BASEL.

IT'S THE "POCKET TROUSER" MUSEUM, WHICH IS JUST THIS WINDOW HERE.

>> THE PEDESTRIAN- AND BICYCLE-FRIENDLY STREETS ARE ORDERLY.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS EFFICIENT.

AND IT ALL RUNS LIKE CLOCKWORK, UNTIL ONE WEEK EACH SUMMER... >> THE CITY COMPLETELY CHANGES.

THE ATMOSPHERE COMPLETELY SWITCHES INTO ANOTHER MODE.

>> ...WHEN THIS SCENIC STILL LIFE BECOMES THE CENTER OF THE MODERN ART WORLD.

>> IT GOES CRAZY.

IT'S ALIVE.

YOU JUST NOTICE IT.

'CAUSE OF THE CRAZY IDEAS THAT PEOPLE COME UP WITH, YOU HAVE A BIT OF EVERYTHING HERE.

>> FOR ME, ART IS SOMETHING WHICH SURPRISES YOU AND IT OPENS YOUR MIND.

>> SOME VERY HIGH-LEVEL THINGS AND ALSO VERY CREEPY STUFF.

>> LIFE IN THE WORLD IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM OUR ORDINARY LIFE.

AND PEOPLE ARE EVEN PUTTING MAYBE 100,000 BUCKS ON THE TABLE FOR GETTING SOMETHING CRAZY.

>> YOU'LL SEE THE MOST CUTTING-EDGE CONTEMPORARY WORK YOU'LL FIND IN THE WORLD.

>> ART BASEL DRAWS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

I THINK WE'RE EXPECTING ATTENDANCE OVER 90,000 THIS YEAR.

>> MAYBE THEY ARE DRESSED A LITTLE BIT SPECIAL, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HEAR ALL THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES.

IT'S REALLY CROWDED EVERYWHERE AND THERE ARE EVENTS EVERY EVENING.

ALSO, I JUST LOVE THE CITY DURING THE ART WEEK.

>> IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT SOMEWHERE TO PUT AN ART FAIR, IT WOULDN'T BE BASEL.

YOU WOULDN'T THINK AUTOMATICALLY OF BASEL, WHICH IS ONE OF THE VERY INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT IT.

>> IN FACT, IF YOU ASK FOLKS TO DESCRIBE THE CITY OF BASEL, YOU HEAR WORDS LIKE THIS... >> THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL CITY.

>> BASEL'S ACTUALLY A REALLY QUIET CITY SOMETIMES.

>> AND THERE IS SOMETHING TRADITIONAL.

>> IT'S REALLY NICE.

>> SO, HOW DID THIS SMALL, QUIET, TRADITIONAL, NICE CITY BECOME HOME TO THIS?

>> UNQUESTIONABLY, IT'S THE NUMBER-ONE FAIR IN THE WORLD.

>> IT'S AN AMAZING MOMENT.

IT DRAWS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

MARC SPIEGLER, DIRECTOR, ART BASEL.

IN THE BEGINNING, ART BASEL REALLY JUST DREW THE PEOPLE WHO WERE BUYING AND SELLING, SO THE DEALERS AND THE COLLECTORS.

BUT, OF COURSE, NOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY A COMMERCIAL PLATFORM BUT ALSO A CULTURAL PLATFORM, WE ALSO DRAW A LOT OF ARTISTS, A LOT OF CURATORS, A LOT OF CRITICS, AND JUST GENERALLY PEOPLE WHO LOVE ART.

>> FOR ONE WEEK IN JUNE, A WIDE SPECTRUM OF VISITORS COME TO ADMIRE, PURCHASE, CONTEMPLATE, AND REFLECT.

AND, LIKE EVERY PIECE OF ART, THIS SWIRL OF ACTIVITY IN BASEL BEGAN WITH A TOUCH OF INSPIRATION.

>> ART BASEL STARTED IN 1970.

IT WAS STARTED BY THREE BASEL GALLERISTS, INCLUDING ERNST BEYELER, THE LEGENDARY DEALER.

AND THEY WANTED TO DO A FAIR FOR GALLERIES FROM ALL OVER EUROPE.

AT THE TIME, THERE WERE ABOUT 120 GALLERIES FROM 10 COUNTRIES.

NOW WE'RE AT 285 GALLERIES FROM 34 COUNTRIES.

>> ART FAIRS WERE ALWAYS LOCAL.

>> BUT THAT WAS A RULE MEANT TO BE BROKEN.

>> THINGS HAPPEN OFTEN BECAUSE OF PEOPLE, AND, YEAH, THERE WAS ERNST BEYELER, AND HIM AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAD THIS IDEA TO DO THIS ART FAIR.

AND HE HAD THE BRILLIANT IDEA TO MAKE IT NOT A LOCAL BUT AN INTERNATIONAL ONE.

BUT THE CITY OF BASEL IS A VERY GOOD ONE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY -- FOR CENTURIES, IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT CITY FOR VISUAL ARTS.

IT'S ALSO THE CITY WHICH HAS THE OLDEST PUBLIC ART COLLECTION IN THE WORLD.

>> MY NAME IS MARGRIT, AND WE ARE MAKING TOURS AROUND THE CITY EVERY WEEK A COUPLE OF TIMES.

[ LAUGHS ] >> TOUR GUIDE MARGRIT GOETZ SAYS ART AND CULTURE ARE WOVEN INTO THE CITY'S DNA.

>> BASEL, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 16th CENTURY, WAS ONE OF THE LEADING PLACES FOR PRINTING IN EUROPE, SO YOU COULD PRINT HERE BEAUTIFUL BOOKS.

BASEL HAS THE OLDEST UNIVERSITY OF SWITZERLAND.

FROM 1431 TO 1448, WE HAD THE CHURCH COUNCIL HERE IN BASEL, AND THEY EVEN ELECTED A POPE HERE IN THE CITY.

>> ON MINSTER HILL, THE OLDEST SECTION OF TOWN, A PROMINENT GOTHIC LANDMARK GRACES THE CITY'S SKYLINE.

IT WAS COMPLETED IN THE YEAR 1500 AFTER CENTURIES OF CONSTRUCTION.

>> THIS IS OUR CATHEDRAL.

AND DO YOU SEE THE BRIGHT SANDSTONE OVER THERE?

IT'S DATING BACK TO THE 11th CENTURY.

THAT MEANS IT'S THE OLDEST PART YOU STILL CAN SEE.

SO, THIS IS THE CLOISTER.

IT'S DATING BACK TO THE 15th CENTURY.

MANY, MANY VERY WEALTHY BASEL FAMILIES ARE BURIED HERE, AS WELL.

AS BASEL IS A BORDER CITY, WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO GERMANY, TO FRANCE.

PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE CITY, TO VISIT OR EVEN TO WORK.

FOR US, IT'S JUST NORMAL.

>> DURING ART BASEL WEEK, THE NORMAL FLOW OF VISITORS KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR AS ONE OF THE CITY'S MODERN LANDMARKS, A FUTURISTIC CONVENTION CENTER DESIGNED BY LOCAL ARCHITECTS HERZOG AND DE MEURON, PLAYS HOST TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.

>> I'M FROM INDIA.

>> MILAN, ITALY.

>> ACTUALLY, I'M FROM TURKEY.

>> I AM ORIGINALLY FROM GERMANY.

>> THE GALLERY IS AT 36th AND 10th IN NEW YORK, JUST A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF CHELSEA.

>> SEAN KELLY, OF SEAN KELLY GALLERY IN NEW YORK CITY, MAKES THE JOURNEY EACH YEAR FOR JUST THAT REASON.

>> PEOPLE TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR THIS FAIR.

I MEAN, WE HAVE CLIENTS HERE FROM CHINA, FROM INDIA, FROM THE MIDDLE EAST, FROM RUSSIA.

SO IT'S NOT A EUROCENTRIC FAIR ANYMORE AS IT USED TO BE IN THE PAST.

IT'S A VERY, VERY INTERNATIONAL FAIR.

THIS IS THE PREMIER EVENT, THE SORT OF CRèME DE LA CRèME OF ALL THE COLLECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE'VE BEEN COMING TO THE MAIN BASEL FAIR IN BASEL FOR 14 YEARS.

IT'S LIKE THE GREATEST SORT OF PRIVATE MUSEUM EXHIBITION IN THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS FASCINATING TO SEE WHAT EVERYBODY'S BROUGHT.

AND THIS FAIR IS SINGULARLY A FAIR THAT PEOPLE WILL HOLD INVENTORY BACK FOR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT THINGS HERE.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO TAKE HOME.

WE PRETTY MUCH BUILT THE BOOTH AROUND THIS BIG MARIKO MORI SCULPTURE BEHIND US.

MARIKO IS A VERY IMPORTANT JAPANESE ARTIST THAT WE REPRESENT.

SHE LIVES IN NEW YORK, LONDON, AND TOKYO.

SO, THIS SCULPTURE'S BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS AND GARNERED A LOT OF ATTENTION.

WE ALSO HAVE MARINA ABRAMOVIC ON THE BOOTH, WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERFORMANCE ARTIST IN THE WORLD, WHO MADE THE BIG EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART A FEW YEARS AGO AND BROKE THE BOX OFFICE THERE.

IT'S NOW EXTRAORDINARY TO SEE JUST HOW EXPONENTIALLY THE AUDIENCE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART AND THE INTEREST LEVEL IN CONTEMPORARY ART HAS GROWN.

IT'S BECOME A SOCIAL PHENOMENON, I THINK, NOW.

>> ANOTHER NEW YORK CITY GALLERIST, DAVID NASH, AGREES THAT THE CONTEMPORARY ART BUSINESS IS BOOMING.

>> WE'VE BEEN SELLING SOME OF THE CLASSIC ARTISTS.

BUT WE HAVEN'T SOLD THIS FRANK STELLA, WHICH IS BEHIND ME, BUT I THINK WE WILL.

THE FIRST PIECE THAT WE SOLD, ON THE FIRST HALF-HOUR OF THE OPENING, WAS AN ANTHONY CARO SCULPTURE.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ANTHONY CARO SCULPTURE ON VIEW IN ART UNLIMITED.

THE TITLE OF THE PIECE IS "RIVER RUN."

IT WAS MADE IN 2013, AND HE DIED AT THE END OF 2013.

THIS IS A PIECE WHICH IS MADE OF STEEL AND PLATE GLASS.

>> LARGE-SCALE PIECES, LIKE "RIVER RUN," ARE THE FOCUS OF THE ART BASEL SATELLITE FAIR CALLED UNLIMITED, ONE OF A HALF DOZEN OR SO SISTER FAIRS THAT TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE CITY DURING THE SAME WEEK.

>> UNLIMITED, WHICH IS THE SECTOR WHERE WE'RE STANDING NOW, IS THE HALL THAT WE HAVE TO SHOW WORKS WHICH WOULD NEVER FIT IN A FAIR BOOTH.

AND UNLIMITED GIVES US THE POSSIBILITY TO SHOW WORKS WHICH REALLY WOULD ONLY OTHERWISE BE SEEN IN THE LARGEST BIENNIALS OR PERHAPS IN MUSEUMS.

>> THE LIFE-SIZE PIECES ATTRACT WIDE-EYED SPECTATORS DRAWN DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE INTO AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE THAT SOME CALL SPECTACULAR AND OTHERS FIND PERPLEXING.

>> YOU HAVE ART IN THE LARGEST POSSIBLE SENSE, AND THERE'S A DIALOGUE, HUH?

SO THERE ARE CERTAIN OBJECTS, AND EVEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

UM...NOT FOR TOO LONG, BUT FOR SOMETIME, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THERE IS SOME COMMUNICATION, AND IT CHANGES YOUR MIND, AND THAT'S, I THINK, WHAT ART SHOULD DO.

IT SHOULD NOT BE THE PRETENSION OF HAVING CERTAIN PIECES AND SHOWING THEM.

IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING WHICH OPENS A DIALOGUE WITH YOU.

>> THIS DIALOGUE MAY COME IN THE FORM OF A SUBTLE WHISPER OR A SHOUT.

[ CLATTERING ] AND SOME COME WITH A FULL SURROUND-SOUND THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE.

OFTEN THEY WILL TRANSPORT THE OBSERVER TO ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE.

>> I LIKE OLD, ANCIENT ART MORE THAN NEW ONES, SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMETHING THAT I WOULD PUT IN MY HOUSE.

BUT ANYWAY, SOMETHING THAT -- I WAS GOING TO SEE "THE METOPE OF PARTHENON" HERE.

THEY ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL ONES, BUT THEY PUT SOME CORDING ON TOP.

IT'S SOMETHING STRANGE, BUT SOMETHING IS QUITE INTERESTING.

>> I LIKE THE OTHER SIDE WHERE IT HAS ALL THE PILLOWS AND THINGS.

THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE TO SEE IN SOMETHING, AND NEW.

>> ACROSS TOWN AT ANOTHER SISTER FAIR, NEW ARTISTS ARE DEVELOPING AND SHOWCASING THEIR OWN VOICES.

>> YOU REALLY CAN SEE WHAT THE ARTISTS FROM THE NEW GENERATION -- HOW THEY WORK, WHAT THEY ARE INTERESTED, HOW IT LOOKS LIKE, THEIR STATED FORMS.

EVERY COLLECTOR WHO IS INTERESTED ON YOUNG ART IS HERE, YOU KNOW.

MY NAME IS PETER BLAEUER.

AND I'M DIRECTOR OF THIS FAIR, LISTE ART FAIR AT BASEL.

>> LISTE WAS THE FIRST NEW SECTOR TO BE ADDED TO THE ART BASEL FAMILY TWO DECADES AGO.

>> AS WE KNOW, ART BASEL THE MOST IMPORTANT FAIR IN THE WORLD.

IT'S FOR ESTABLISHED GALLERIES.

SO FOR A YOUNG GENERATION, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET INTO THIS FAIR.

SO, TWO GALLERIES CALLED ME AND ASKED ME, "LISTEN, PETER, WE HAVE TO BE IN BASEL.

WHY DON'T WE START A SPECIAL FAIR ONLY FOR THE NEW GENERATION?"

WE INTRODUCE NEW ARTISTS AND NEW GALLERIES, SO A LOT OF THEM ARE UNKNOWN.

SO, OF COURSE, THAT IS VERY INTERESTING FOR THE COLLECTORS TO COME HERE ABOUT.

THEY WANT ALSO BE THE FIRST TO BUY THEM.

NOT THAT EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW.

IT'S ALSO YOU START HERE AND LATER ON, IF YOU'RE REALLY GOOD, YOU WILL BE IN ART BASEL.

>> LISTE IS A SHOW THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT HALF AS LONG AS ART BASEL.

IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON THE YOUNGER GALLERIES, AND MANY OF THE GALLERIES THAT FIRST STARTED THERE END UP IN OUR HALLS, SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A TRAINING GROUND AND A PROVING GROUND, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE FOLLOW VERY CLOSELY.

OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE, GO OVER THERE TO LOOK FOR THE GALLERIES OF THE FUTURE.

>> RATHER THAN THE SPACE-AGE SETTING OF ART BASEL, LISTE BRINGS VISITORS TO A HISTORIC BREWERY ON THE RHINE RIVER.

>> IT'S A VERY SPECIAL BUILDING, AS YOU SAW.

IT'S AN OLD BREWERY, SO IT'S NOT A CLASSICAL FAIR BUILDING.

AND, OF COURSE, IT HAS A VERY SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE, AND EVERY SPACE LOOKS DIFFERENT.

HE HAS REALLY TO CARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS SPACE AND TO THINK ABOUT, "WHAT CAN I DO WITH THIS SPACE?"

>> WELL, THE RIVER IS VERY IMPORTANT, FIRST, OF COURSE, NOT ONLY FOR BASEL BUT ALSO FOR SWITZERLAND, TO IMPORT, EXPORT ON THE RIVER RHINE.

IT'S SUMMERTIME.

IT'S NICE.

YOU CAN SWIM INTO THE RIVER.

AH, THEY WILL JUST GO AND SWIM NOW.

YOU SEE?

THEY'RE PREPARING.

ON A REALLY VERY HOT SUMMER DAY, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING DOWN THE RIVER, AND THAT'S SO FUNNY IF YOU SEE ALL THE HEADS.

AND IT'S REFRESHING AT THE END.

>> BUT FOR A LESS ADVENTUROUS RIVER RHINE EXPERIENCE... >> WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, YOU HAVE TO RING THE BELL... [ BELL RINGS ] ...LIKE THAT.

AND THEN THE FERRYMAN IS COMING OVER TO PICK YOU UP.

>> THE FERRIES PROVIDE A PEACEFUL, IF NOT QUICK, TRIP ACROSS.

>> GUTEN MORGEN.

THE FERRY BOATS, BY THE WAY, THEY HAVE NO ENGINE.

THEY'RE ONLY PROPELLED BY THE CURRENT OF THE WATER.

AND THEY'RE ALSO USED BY PEOPLE LIVING HERE IN BASEL TO GO, IF THEY HAVE TIME, ON A VERY ROMANTIC WAY FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE.

YEAH, SO, WE CAN SIT HERE AND ENJOY.

[ LAUGHS ] >> WATER IS A THEME THROUGHOUT THE CITY STREETS.

>> WE HAVE MANY, MANY FOUNTAINS HERE IN BASEL, AND, YOU KNOW, THE NICEST THING IS THAT YOU ALWAYS CAN DRINK THE WATER.

IT'S VERY REFRESHING.

MMM.

VERY TASTY.

WE HAVE A VERY FUNNY FOUNTAIN CONSTRUCTED BY JEAN TINGUELY -- THAT WAS A VERY FAMOUS SWISS ARTIST -- CALLED THE TINGUELY FOUNTAIN.

EXACTLY HERE WAS THE STAGE OF THE OLD CITY THEATER.

THE THEATER HAS BEEN DESTROYED, AND THEY CONSTRUCTED THE MODERN ONE BEHIND YOU, AND JEAN TINGUELY WAS A VERY FAMOUS SWISS ARTIST.

HE WAS LIVING MANY, MANY YEARS HERE IN BASEL.

HE DIED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND HE TOOK REMAINS OF THE OLD CITY THEATER AND CREATED THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, WHICH ARE SYMBOLIZING A LITTLE BIT OF DAILY NONSENSE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE SHOWERING, THEY'RE SPLASHING.

BUT AT THE END, NOTHING REALLY IS HAPPENING.

>> DURING THE ART WEEK, SOME UNEXPECTED MONUMENTS POP UP, QUIETLY MIMICKING NATURE OR PIERCING THROUGH THE CITY SPACES.

THEY ARE ALL PART OF THE SISTER FAIR PARCOURS.

>> PARCOURS IS A SECTOR THAT WE STARTED FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THE IDEA WAS TO WEAVE CONTEMPORARY ART INTO THE CITY, AND SO WE'VE DONE EVERY YEAR A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT IT IS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS, WHAT THE VENUE IS, YOU CAN HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORK, YOU KNOW.

WE'VE DONE THINGS IN CHURCHES.

WE'VE DONE THINGS IN ATTICS.

WE'VE DONE THINGS IN BASEMENTS.

AND SO THE TRICK THERE, OF COURSE, IS TO ALWAYS FIND THE RIGHT ARTISTS AND IN THE RIGHT VENUE FOR THE ARTWORK THAT THEY PRODUCE.

>> BACK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, ANOTHER SECTOR OF ART BASEL SHINES A LIGHT ON MODERN DESIGN.

>> WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED DESIGNER OF THE FUTURE, IN WHICH WE AWARD KIND OF GRANTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS TO YOUNG DESIGNERS.

JAMIE ZIGELBAUM WAS AN AWARD WINNER A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND ACTUALLY WE WENT BACK TO HIM WITH THIS REALLY BIG COMMISSION FOR THE ENTRY THIS YEAR, THE TRIANGULAR SERIES, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE HIM A REALLY BIG PLATFORM.

I'M RODMAN PRIMACK.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN MIAMI AND DESIGN MIAMI BASEL.

>> THE DECADE-OLD DESIGN MIAMI FAIR BRINGS VISITORS BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH ITS LOOK AT TIMELESS CREATIONS.

>> THERE ARE ABOUT 51 GALLERIES THIS YEAR, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

CERTAINLY THERE ARE A LOT MORE GALLERIES AT ART BASEL.

IT'S A MUCH BIGGER FAIR.

THIS IS A MUCH MORE BOUTIQUE KIND OF EXPERIENCE.

IT'S MUCH TIGHTER.

IT'S MUCH SMALLER.

BUT IT'S REALLY THE PREMIER FAIR FOR THIS KIND OF COLLECTING.

>> THIS FAIR ADDS A DASH OF MIAMI GLAMOUR TO BASEL.

BUT EACH DECEMBER, ART BASEL PAYS A VISIT TO MIAMI.

>> IT'S AMAZING WHAT ART BASEL HAS DONE FOR MIAMI, AND SUDDENLY I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY SISTER CITIES IN THE SENSE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CROSSOVER BETWEEN BASEL AND MIAMI.

THE ART WORLD AND THE PRESENCE OF ALL THESE INCREDIBLE COLLECTORS, ARTISTS, CURATORS, GALLERISTS HAS REALLY CHANGED THE FABRIC AND THE NETWORK OF MIAMI ITSELF, AND DESIGN MIAMI HAS BEEN PART OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN BRINGING REALLY FANTASTIC ARCHITECTURAL TALENT, DESIGN TALENT, AND GALLERIES, AS WELL, TO MIAMI, AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE CHANGE IN ARCHITECTURE AND PROJECTS THAT HAVE REALLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CITY.

AND, OF COURSE, IT'S BECOME SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY SUCCESSFUL AND NOW IS PART OF BASEL ITSELF.

>> SAM KELLER WAS THE DIRECTOR OF ART BASEL IN 2002 WHEN THE AMERICAN VERSION OF THE FAIR DEBUTED IN MIAMI BEACH.

>> AS ART BASEL HAD THIS VERY GLOBAL OUTREACH AND SO MANY AMERICAN VISITORS, THE GALLERY STARTED TO SAY, "WHY CAN'T YOU DO AN ART FAIR IN AMERICA?

THERE'S HUGE POTENTIAL."

AND WE THOUGHT, "WHY NOT?"

WE WERE VERY WARMLY WELCOMED BY THE ART COMMUNITY IN MIAMI, AND WE THOUGHT, "THIS IS A YOUNG CITY THAT'S DEVELOPING ITS CULTURAL IDENTITY, AND MAYBE WE COULD MAKE A CONTRIBUTION AND BECOME PART OF THAT."

WE ALSO, OF COURSE, SAW THE POTENTIAL OF BRINGING TOGETHER ARTISTS AND GALLERIES, COLLECTORS FROM LATIN AMERICA, NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

AND, OF COURSE, IT DIDN'T HURT THAT THE WEATHER IS SO NICE [Chuckling] DURING THE WINTER AND ALL OF US ARE DESPERATE TO GO TO A WARM PLACE.

>> IN 2013, THE HONG KONG VERSION OF ART BASEL LAUNCHED.

NOW THIS ACCLAIMED ART FAIR HAD SPREAD ITS WINGS TO THREE CONTINENTS.

>> SAM KELLER, DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION BEYELER.

THE FOUNDATION BEYELER IS A PRIVATE MUSEUM IN AN OLD GARDEN HERE IN BASEL.

>> THE NAME OF THIS MUSEUM ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BASEL HAS A FAMILIAR RING TO IT.

>> YES, THE FOUNDER OF THIS MUSEUM, ERNST BEYELER, IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF ART BASEL, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1970, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MODERN ART GALLERIES IN THE WORLD.

AND HIM AND HIS WIFE COLLECTED, AND THE COLLECTION IS HERE.

BUT HE WAS A DRIV-- THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ART BASEL FOR ITS FIRST QUARTER OF A CENTURY, WITH HIS EXCELLENT CONTACTS TO BRING COLLECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, COMING TO THIS SMALL CITY, IN BASEL.

IF IT IS TODAY THE WORLD'S PREMIER ART FAIR, THIS IS BECAUSE OF ERNST BEYELER.

>> THE MUSEUM, FOUNDED IN 1997, MADE THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF ERNST BEYELER AND HIS WIFE, HILDY, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.

>> THEY DONATED THE BUILDING, THEY DONATED THEIR WORLD-FAMOUS COLLECTION, AND ENDOWED THE MUSEUM.

IT VERY QUICKLY BECAME SWITZERLAND'S MOST VISITED ART MUSEUM.

THE BEYELERS HAD TWO PASSIONS -- ONE WAS ART AND THE OTHER ONE WAS NATURE.

AND IN THIS MUSEUM, THEY TRIED TO COMBINE THAT.

AND THE ARCHITECTS DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN CREATING A HARMONY BETWEEN THE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE AND THE BUILDING, THE ARCHITECTURE, BUT ALSO THE ART.

SO THEY SPEAK TO EACH OTHER.

FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS A FAMOUS MONET WATER LILY PAINTING, AND IF YOU LOOK OUTSIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE WATER LILIES, AND ART AND NATURE ARE CONNECTED.

>> FOR SOME BASEL NATIVES, LIKE SAM KELLER, ART BASEL WOULD SHAPE THEIR LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR ART FROM A YOUNG AGE.

>> I STARTED GOING, LIKE MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CITY, WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.

IT WAS JUST EXCITING TO SEE ALL THESE ARTWORKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, ALSO THESE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT COME IN TOWN FOR IT.

AND LATER, I GOT INTERESTED IN STUDYING ART.

>> I GROWED UP IN THE CITY.

I'M FROM BASEL.

I DID HERE MY SCHOOLS.

OF COURSE, IN A SMALL COUNTRY LIKE SWITZERLAND, YOU TRAVEL.

BASEL WAS ALWAYS -- HAD AN OLD TRADITION OF MUSEUMS.

THE KUNSTMUSEUM -- IT'S NOT LONG AGO, THE NEW YORK TIMES WROTE IT'S ONE OF THE FIVE MOST IMPORTANT MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD.

SO, WE HAVE THIS TRADITION.

YOU GROW UP IN THIS CITY WITH GOOD ART.

WITH THE SCHOOL, YOU GO TO THE MUSEUMS.

YOU GROW UP WITH THIS.

SO, YOU GROW UP A LITTLE BIT IN THIS ATMOSPHERE.

WE HAVE VERY GOOD ARCHITECTS.

YOU KNOW HERZOG & DE MEURON?

IT'S ONE OF THIS -- YOU HAVE A MUSEUM IN MIAMI OF THEM.

SO, THEY ARE HERE IN BASEL.

AND ALSO, THEY CARE ABOUT THE NEW GENERATION.

THEY HELP THE NEW ARCHITECTS THAT THEY GET INTERESTING CONNECTIONS AND CONTACTS, SO, YEAH, WE HAVE A HIGH STANDARD OF ARCHITECTS AND BUILDINGS.

THAT'S TRUE.

IT'S VERY SPECIAL HERE, YEAH.

>> AS ART WEEK COMES TO A CLOSE, THE CITY RETURNS TO ITS QUIET AND PERHAPS MORE ORDERLY WAY OF LIFE.

THAT IS, UNTIL NEXT SUMMER, WHEN THE ENVELOP-PUSHING VISIONS OF THE WORLD'S LEADING CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS TRANSFORM THE DAILY REALITY OF SMALL, QUIET, TRADITIONAL BASEL, SWITZERLAND.