Art Basel director to step down before this year’s Miami Beach fair. Meet his replacement
Art Basel, the premier international art fair brand with an outpost in Miami Beach, has a new leader at the helm for the first time in over a decade.
MCH Group, the Swiss experience marketing company that runs Art Basel shows, announced Friday that global director Marc Spiegler will be succeeded by art historian Noah Horowitz. Spiegler, who ran the brand for 15 years, decided to “leave MCH Group and explore the next phase of his artworld career,” according to a press release. Horowitz will assume the role on Nov. 7.
The surprise announcement comes just over a month before Art Basel Miami Beach’s 20th anniversary. The brand recently premiered a new art fair in Paris earlier this month.
In a statement, Spiegler said that he is “leaving Art Basel on a high note.” After staging 43 fairs, launching new shows and leading Art Basel through a pandemic, he said that it is time to pass the baton to someone with a different set of skills.
“Fortunately, my friend Noah Horowitz — the perfect person to carry Art Basel forward — will be leading that development,” Spiegler said. “Finally, I would like to thank my incredible team and my colleagues throughout the world for their passion, their commitment, and their dedication in driving patronage to our galleries and their artists.”
Horowitz will return to Art Basel, where he oversaw Art Basel Miami Beach as the Director Americas from 2015 to 2021. He left last year to work for fine arts auction house Sotheby’s as its Worldwide Head of Gallery & Private Dealer Services, a newly created position.
Spiegler will continue to be an advisor to Art Basel for the next six months and support Horowitz through Art Basel Miami Beach, according to the release.
“Under the leadership of Marc Spiegler, Art Basel has developed into what it is today — one of the most prestigious and valuable brands in the international art market,” states Andrea Zappia, chairman of the board of directors of MCH Group. “Our thanks go to Marc for his great personal commitment, his networking in the global world of art and his notable successes in the development of Art Basel.”
Florian Faber, MCH Group CEO, said in a statement that he is pleased that Horowitz is returning to the brand.
“Noah is held in high esteem in the industry, uniting an in-depth understanding of the art market and its players with a lifelong passion for the visual arts, business knowledge and digital transformation,” Faber said.
Horowitz, who lives in New York City, has a doctorate degree in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London; authored writings on art and economics; served as the executive director of The Armory Show in New York, and directed the VIP Art Fair, the first online-only fair, the release said.
“I am honored and delighted to be returning to Art Basel in my new role. I would like to thank MCH Group and Florian for their confidence in me as well as Marc for his stewardship over the years,” Horowitz said in a statement. “The Art Basel team is incredibly committed, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and all the stakeholders of the Art Basel community to lead and evolve the business as we collectively embark upon a new chapter.”
This story was produced with financial support from The Pérez Family Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 11:02 AM.