Contemporary art trade fair Art Basel has announced the appointment of Noah Horowitz as its first director Americas, to oversee the show’s celebrity-studded Miami Beach edition.
Horowitz has been executive director of The Armory Show in New York since 2011 and was previously director of VIP Art Fair.
From August, he will be tasked with strengthening Arte Basel Miami Beach’s relationships with galleries, collectors, artists, museums and institutions from the Americas, to promote their activities worldwide.
The lecturer and author said he was honoured to join the Art Basel team.
“The Americas have been a leading centre in the art world for many decades, and the region continues to show distinctive and ongoing growth in many different countries,” Horowitz said.
“I look forward to working with collectors and arts institutions throughout the two continents – from Canada to South America, and across the entirety of the United States – in an effort to bring the fair in Miami Beach to ever-greater heights.
“With today's art world changing faster than ever, I am also excited to expand Art Basel's leadership in providing great opportunities for its galleries and their artists – both within this expansive region and across the globe.”
Based in the United States, Horowitz will join Art Basel’s international executive committee, led by director Marc Spiegler, comprising: director Asia, Adeline Ooi; director resources and finance, Marco Fazzone; and director business initiatives, Patrick Foret.
Spiegler said: “I am delighted that Noah Horowitz will become Art Basel's first director Americas as we work toward our 14th edition in Miami Beach – a fair that will feature our strongest-ever exhibitor list, reflecting the successes of our recent editions and the belief that our galleries have in the show's future.
“With his strong background in running art fairs and his extensive network of contacts across every level of the art market, Noah has what it takes to play a vital role in this important region.”
Horowitz, who holds a PhD in art history from London’s Courtauld Institute of Art, is the author of numerous publications including Art of the Deal: Contemporary Art in a Global Financial Market. A frequent lecturer on contemporary art and economics, his writings have appeared in publications including The New York Times, Texte zur Kunst and The Art Newspaper.
