Chief Artistic Officer & Global Director Art Basel Fairs
Courtesy of ART BASEL, photography by JINANE ENNASRI
Courtesy of ART BASEL
Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Art Basel Fairs, is one of the most influential figures shaping the contemporary art world today, guided by the belief that “Art Basel should not only mirror the art world but actively help shape its present and its future.” With a deep understanding of the art market and a commitment to institutional leadership, he has consistently shaped how galleries, collectors, and major institutions interact in contemporary art.
After leaving his home region of Puglia, de Bellis attended Bard College in New York, where he graduated in 2008 with a Master of Arts in Curatorial Studies. He later distinguished himself in Milan, where he co-founded Peep-Hole, an experimental space devoted to platforming overlooked and emerging voices in contemporary art. In 2012, he became the youngest director ever appointed to MIART, the Milan International Fair of Modern and Contemporary Art, where he was instrumental in repositioning the fair on the global stage. He later joined the Walker Art Center as Curator and Associate Director of Program, Visual Arts, before moving to Art Basel in 2022, where he assumed the role of Global Director of Fairs and Exhibition Platforms and oversaw the fairs in Basel, Paris, Hong Kong, Miami Beach, and Qatar.
Since stepping into this expanded role, de Bellis has led the development of several strategic initiatives, including Art Basel Qatar, inaugurated in February 2026, and the Art Basel Awards, while guiding how Art Basel positions itself within the rapidly evolving global art ecosystem.
hube: Your career has moved fluidly between curatorial practice and institutional leadership. How has this dual perspective reshaped the way you now think about authorship, responsibility, and influence within large-scale art platforms?
Vincenzo de Bellis: At Art Basel, my position sits squarely at the intersection of these two worlds. Our mission is to ensure that each show, in every geography, resonates with both local and global audiences while generating long-term cultural and market impact. In this sense, the curatorial and the institutional are inseparable. Delivering operational excellence across our global shows requires deep institutional understanding and leadership. At the same time, creating distinct presentations in each region, grounded in their specific contexts yet globally relevant, demands strong curatorial rigor.
A platform like Art Basel is not about singular authorship. It is about building the framework within which many voices can operate simultaneously.
It is not about individual authorship, but about creating the conditions for many voices to be heard. My role is to help shape and guide the platform responsibly, so that different perspectives can thrive within a strong and thoughtful framework.
