Art Basel Bets On Digital Art As Market Gains Momentum
The world’s largest art fair is placing a significant wager on the future of digital creativity. This year, Art Basel has expanded its focus on digital art through a dedicated exhibition called Zero 10, reflecting growing confidence that the sector is poised for substantial growth.
Digital art encompasses a broad range of creative works, including screen-based installations, video art, computer-generated paintings, coded artworks and creations developed using artificial intelligence. As technology continues to shape modern culture, the art world is increasingly embracing these forms as a legitimate and valuable part of the contemporary market.
The Zero 10 exhibition has arrived in Basel for the first time after making its debut in Miami in December. Located opposite the fair’s traditional displays of paintings and sculptures, the showcase highlights how digital works are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the global art landscape.
Younger Collectors Drive Growing Interest
Art Basel chief executive Noah Horowitz believes digital art naturally aligns with the preferences of younger generations who have grown up immersed in digital environments.
According to Horowitz, collectors who spend much of their lives interacting through screens are likely to be drawn towards artworks that reflect the visual language of the digital age. As a result, digital art is emerging as an important category for future collectors and investors.
Market data suggests that interest is already increasing. The Art Basel & UBS Global Art Market Report 2026 found that digital art accounted for 3% of global art sales worth $59.6 billion last year. While still a relatively small segment, that share has risen from just 1% in 2024.
UBS art adviser Eric Landolt said demand is no longer limited to millennials and Generation Z buyers. Established collectors and cultural institutions are also showing growing interest in acquiring digital works.
Artists Find New Recognition
French artist William Mapan has experienced that shift firsthand. Mapan spent two years creating a series of paintings through detailed coding processes, blending traditional artistic concepts with advanced programming techniques.
For many years, he struggled to attract attention for his work. However, the response at this year’s event demonstrated how attitudes have evolved. His collection sold out within the first hour of the exhibition opening.
Mapan argues that painting and coding are not fundamentally different disciplines. Instead, he sees both as creative languages that can be combined to produce entirely new forms of artistic expression.
His success reflects a broader change in how digital creators are viewed within the contemporary art world, where technological innovation is increasingly recognised as a legitimate artistic medium.
Preservation Remains A Key Challenge
Despite rising enthusiasm, questions remain about the long-term preservation of digital artworks. Unlike traditional paintings or sculptures, digital creations depend on technologies that may become obsolete over time.
Landolt noted that maintaining access to digital formats presents unique conservation challenges. Collectors and institutions must ensure that artworks remain functional and viewable even as hardware and software continue to evolve.
Gallery operators are already addressing those concerns. Alejandro Cartagena, co-founder of Fellowship, said buyers receive detailed guidance on the technical requirements needed to preserve digital works indefinitely.
At the Zero 10 exhibition, Fellowship sold a digital artwork by John Gerrard for $500,000. Cartagena said conservation planning forms an essential part of every transaction, helping collectors safeguard their investments for future generations.
As digital art gains wider acceptance, events such as Zero 10 suggest the market is moving beyond experimentation and towards a more established place within the global art industry.
With inputs from Reuters