EN
Art Basel is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruba Katrib, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at MoMA PS1 in New York, as curator of the Unlimited sector for the 2026 edition in Basel. She will succeed Giovanni Carmine, Director of the Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, who has led the sector since 2021. Unlimited is Art Basel’s unique platform for large-scale projects, showcasing monumental installations, expansive sculptures, immersive wall paintings, extensive photo series, and ambitious video works. As curator, Katrib will join the Art Basel in Basel curatorial team alongside Stefanie Hessler, Director of New York’s Swiss Institute (SI), under the leadership of fair director Maike Cruse. Her appointment reflects Cruse’s commitment to a strong curatorial vision and to shaping an ambitious, diverse, and forward-looking program for the fair.
Renowned for her bold, thought-provoking exhibitions and commitment to amplifying emerging voices in contemporary art, Katrib will bring a fresh vision to Unlimited, Art Basel’s pioneering platform for projects that transcend the classical art fair booth. Since its inception, Unlimited has remained one of the most anticipated highlights of the show in Basel, offering galleries and artists an unparalleled stage for ambitious, large-scale presentations. At MoMA PS1, Katrib has curated acclaimed exhibitions including The Gatherers (2025), Rirkrit Tiravanija: A LOT OF PEOPLE (2023), Jumana Manna: Break, Take, Erase, Tally (2022), and Greater New York (2021) and Simone Fattal’s first comprehensive retrospective in 2019. Earlier, as Curator at SculptureCenter in New York (2012–2018), she realized over twenty exhibitions, among them 74 million million million tons (2018, co-organized with Lawrence Abu Hamdan). In addition, she co-curated SITE Santa Fe’s biennial Casa Tomada in 2018, and her writings regularly appear in leading periodicals and museum catalogues.
Ruba Katrib, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs at MoMA PS1 in New York, commented:” Unlimited is a unique and vital platform that allows artists to realize works of a scale and ambition rarely possible in other contexts. It is an honor to shape this celebrated sector and to collaborate with artists and galleries on projects that will resonate with audiences in Basel and beyond.”
Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director, Art Basel Fairs, said: “At Art Basel, our mission has always been to not only showcase the most ambitious art of our time, but also to cultivate the curatorial voices that shape its future. The appointment of Ruba Katrib reflects this commitment to fostering a new generation of thought leaders in the arts. By joining our curatorial team, Ruba brings with her a depth of insight, intellectual rigor, and sensitivity to the urgencies of contemporary culture. Her vision will infuse Unlimited with fresh perspectives and open new possibilities for how audiences encounter large-scale artistic practice. “
Art Basel in Basel, whose Global Lead Partner is UBS, will take place at Messe Basel from June 18 to 21, 2026, with Preview Days on June 16 and 17.
Read the full press release here.