World's Top Contemporary Art Fair Opens Wednesday

The world's largest contemporary arts fair, which opens in Basel Wednesday, is set to receive some 60,000 art lovers to enjoy works by more than 2,500 artists.

The 42nd edition of Art Basel, which displays work produced in the 20th and 21st century, is still dominated by submissions from galleries in wealthy nations, organizers said.

Co-directors Annette Schonholzer and Marc Spiegler told journalists that U.S. galleries earned the largest number slots with 73, followed by Germany at 50, then Switzerland (32), Britain (31) and France with 23.

But in a renewed push to give exposure to artists from less prosperous countries, the arts fair will for the first time display submissions from galleries in Lebanon, Hungary and Thailand, they explained.

Art Basel received submissions from more than 1,000 galleries, but works from only 300, from 35 countries, will be on display.

A special section of the fair called Art Unlimited features 62 large installation pieces displayed in a 16,000 square meter (170,000 square foot) space.

Many of these major works are created specifically for Art Basel, which ends Sunday.

The event also features sculpture, photo and video displays.