Digital Art Mile Returns to Basel, Cementing Its Status as the ‘Netflix for Digital Art’
Staff Writer • 2025-05-16
Humanoid Robots, AI Agents, and the Legendary Paintbox Headline a Bigger-Than-Ever 2025 Edition The Digital Art Mile is officially back in Basel from June 16 to 22, promising to transform Rebgasse into the most vibrant digital art hub in Europe during Art Basel week. After earning acclaim as one of the most groundbreaking events in digital culture, this year’s edition is scaling even bigger—bringing together artists, collectors, tech pioneers, and cultural institutions from around the world. Visitors can expect a cutting-edge experience featuring humanoid robots, autonomous AI agents, and a special headline exhibition titled Paintboxed, which traces the roots of digital painting to the revolutionary Quantel Paintbox—the technology behind iconic 80s visuals from MTV’s logo to Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing," and David Hockney’s first-ever digital artworks. The Historic Paintbox Returns to the Spotlight Headlining this year’s edition is Paintboxed, a globally touring exhibition that stops in Basel after successful runs in Miami, Paris, and New York. It celebrates the legacy of the Quantel Paintbox, the device that shaped visual culture in the 1980s long before Adobe Photoshop existed. This tool not only defined the look of music videos and album covers but also introduced world-renowned artists like David Hockney to the world of digital art. Contemporary artists like Grant Yun, Bryan Brinkman, Justin Aversano, and Ivona Tau have created new works using an original Quantel Paintbox, presented as physical lightboxes paired with NFTs on Tezos’ Objkt platform. This exhibition bridges the history of digital creativity with the blockchain-powered future of digital ownership. Top Galleries and Platforms Fuel the Digital Art Fair The Digital Art Fair component is expanding its roster of exhibitors, welcoming major players like Zurich’s Kate Vass Galerie, which will present Nigerian artist Osinachi’s complete digital painting archive. Meanwhile, LaCollection will feature a solo show by generative art superstar Tyler Hobbs, best known for Fidenza. The Mayor Gallery will pay tribute to Waldemar Cordeiro, the father of South American digital art, by exhibiting his pioneering 1960s computer-generated works. Bright Moments from San Francisco will host Automata, a group show focused on robotics and AI, while Objkt will present We Emotional Cyborgs, a curated exploration of avatars and AI identity. Industry Leaders Headline Week-Long Conference Series Complementing the exhibitions is a robust week-long conference program at Kult.Kino Cinema. Topics range from “Generative Art and AI” to “Museums and Digital Art,” featuring speakers like Christiane Paul from the Whitney Museum, Ian Charles Steward from the Toledo Museum of Art, and The Sandbox’s Sebastien Borget. BMW’s Global Head of Cultural Engagement, Dr. Thomas Girst, will also join to discuss corporate collecting in the digital age. A Growing Legacy for Digital Culture in Basel Initiated by ArtMeta’s Roger Haas and digital art expert Georg Bak, The Digital Art Mile has quickly become one of the world’s leading events bridging technology and creativity. From early computer art to the newest advancements in AI and blockchain, this year's expanded edition proves that Basel isn’t just home to traditional fine art—it’s a gateway to the future of digital expression. For those attending Art Basel week, the Digital Art Mile is the must-visit destination for anyone seeking to understand or collect the art forms shaping tomorrow’s creative economy.
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