VOLTA debuted in Basel in 2005 as an art fair collaboration between dealers and friends. The aim was to secure a platform for international galleries beyond young art fair Liste and market heavyweight Art Basel. VOLTA’s New York fair followed in 2008, offering a solo and boutique alternative to the crowded trade show tradition of Armory Week in March. Concerns and aspirations of the exhibiting galleries have been of the utmost importance since VOLTA’s inception, resulting in eclectic and dynamic solo presentations and multiple artists in curated conversations.

In autumn 2019, Ramsay Fairs acquired VOLTA, sparking fresh ideas toward future editions. Under the new leadership of Kamiar Maleki, VOLTA returned to New York in March 2020 closer to its origins as an immersive experience that invites discovery, welcoming 53 international galleries to the intimate Metropolitan West.

With editions in New York, Basel, and Miami, VOLTA builds the foundation and platform for younger galleries to participate in the art markets’ major cities.

The gallery had the pleasure to present the work of Dirk Salz, Mario Dilitz, Patrik Grijalvo y Michael Craik.

VOLTA Art Fair fosters galleries in staging ambitious solo and group presentations, refining the experience to its essential elements: the artists and their work. This focus on compelling visual statements by up-and-coming and established artists cultivates a vibrant and approachable environment of discovery for the engaged collector.

“We are more than excited to welcome you back to an in real life fair experience at our newly renovated venue. Basel has always been and always will be the true centre of art fairs, and while we have been extremely busy in the background — re-branding, strategizing, and developing our fair — we are ready to resume action and provide a platform for our galleries to showcase some amazing art.

Of course health and safety will be our upmost priority, and the fair will follow all current guidelines in Switzerland at that time. I look forward to seeing you in Basel in September.”

— Kamiar Maleki, Director