Since 2025, FOR ART has been transforming three historic houses on Rittergasse in Basel into a temporary art house. In the former premises of Bank Vontobel, a space is evolving until the end of 2028 through exhibitions, conversations and collaborations, with a focus on drawing, collecting, installation and environment.
The past months were marked by the exhibition “Alberto Giacometti – The Graphic Works” from the Gross Collection. On view until 13 December 2025, it presented etchings and lithographs as a concentrated insight into Giacometti’s printmaking practice. The posthumously published series “Paris sans fin” remains accessible during opening hours.
Since 9 January 2026, drawing has once again been at the centre with “Inventory Illustrators – a female profession”, on view until 28 February 2026. The exhibition brings together 150 historic inventory drawings on loan from MARKK in Hamburg. These sheets document objects from around the world and provide insight into the work of the women illustrators employed at Hamburg’s Museum of Ethnology in the early twentieth century. Public conversations and guided formats with Rahel Wille and Friedrich von Bose have already taken place.
On 19 February 2026, the interdisciplinary project “Between Two Deaths” follows. Across 20 rooms of the building – including basement and former vault spaces – a concert installation combines installation, performance and early music, inviting visitors to move freely through the house. 30 students from scenography (HGK Basel), Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the master programme in Music and Scene in Transformation at the Basel Academy of Music FHNW are collaborating on this project. The project was initiated and supervised by Andreas Wenger, Martina Ehleiter, Raphael Sbrzesny, Johannes Keller, Martina Papiro, Deda Colonna, Michael Kleine and Ellen Blumenstein.
In parallel, the collaborative drawing project “Cadavre exquis” continues at regular intervals. A selection of the works created so far is expected to be shown before summer.
Looking ahead, from 10 March to 25 April 2026, FOR ART presents “Wirziana – The Other World of Peter Wirz” (1915–2000), the first comprehensive exhibition of the artist’s work in Basel.
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Exhibition hours:
Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm,
and by appointment (info@klauslittmann.com)
Address:
FOR ART – a temporary art intervention by Littmann Kulturprojekte
Rittergasse 25, CH-4051 Basel
Free admission
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more about FOR ART – A Temporary Art Intervention by Littmann Kulturprojekte. Basel 2025–2028
