Tailor-made lighting solution for a world-leading art event: ERCO as partner of Art Basel
Moritz Hillebrand
Starting in 2026, ERCO will become the official lighting partner of Art Basel, the world’s leading art fair for modern and contemporary art of the 20th and 21st centuries. In close collaboration with Expomobilia GmbH, which is responsible for the planning, delivery and construction of the exhibition infrastructure across the five locations Basel, Paris, Miami Beach, Hong Kong and Qatar, a customised and sustainable lighting solution was developed to perfectly stage a wide variety of artworks at all exhibition venues.
One of the key challenges was to create a uniform lighting solution suitable for use on different continents, in countries with varying mains voltages and substantially differing standards. At the same time, the system had to be space-saving for transport and as simple and quick to install as possible. The customised versions of Parscan XL spotlights developed with the “ERCO individual” team adapt to various mounting solutions and technical conditions across three continents. They can also be safely transported from one event to the next around the world in specially developed flight cases.
Moritz Hillebrand
Art Basel was first held in Basel in 1970; over time, additional locations in Miami Beach, Hong Kong and Paris were established. In February 2026, Art Basel Qatar in Doha marked the first expansion into the Middle East. Organised by MCH Group AG, the fair brings together galleries, collectors, curators and art enthusiasts from around the globe. High-quality lighting plays a decisive role in its success.
Moritz Hillebrand
Lighting is a fundamental part of how artworks are presented and therefore perceived by the public”, says Jessica Gauvin, Managing Director of Expomobilia. “At an art fair like Art Basel, thousands of works are presented in a very compact space, so the lighting must be consistent, neutral, and supportive of the galleries’ presentations. The goal is to create the best possible conditions for viewing the art.
Jessica Gauvin, Managing Director, Expomobilia
Moritz Hillebrand
Light is more than just a technical necessity — it is a curatorial tool that makes artists’ visions visible, adds emotional depth to works and intensifies their impact. In this way, lighting actively contributes to making art tangible, evoking emotion and ultimately supporting sales. ERCO Parscan XL spotlights for track enable both uniform illumination of the mobile exhibition walls with high uniformity and excellent visual comfort, as well as flexible accent lighting for selected exhibits, allowing them to be highlighted in a focused and sales-enhancing manner thanks to interchangeable optics without tools.
Moritz Hillebrand
Maximum lighting flexibility with a single spotlight model
“Expomobilia required uniform ambient lighting that is significantly brighter than before, with a consistent 500 lux in neutral white 4000K and a high colour rendering index of 92 to ensure artworks appear true to life”, explains Tobias Spohr, Head of Lighting Design at ERCO Switzerland/Germany/Netherlands. “Not only the light distribution, but also the luminaires themselves were to appear as homogeneous as possible, which is why only a single spotlight model was used.”
Moritz Hillebrand
The latest generation of Parscan spotlights from ERCO stands out with significantly improved wallwashing optics that allow more flexible positioning and easier adaptation to booth layouts. In addition, the spotlight can be converted for accent lighting using interchangeable optics, such as wide flood, oval flood or spot distributions. The luminaires were modified with sophisticated adjustments to meet the requirements of use across different continents, in countries with varying voltages, and differing standards and safety regulations. In total, around 10,000 Parscan XL spotlights were custom manufactured for Art Basel on a dedicated assembly line at ERCO in Lüdenscheid.
Another major advantage is that the new lighting is camera-ready and produces no flicker effect during filming at the fairs.
Tobias Spohr, Head of Lighting Design at ERCO Switzerland/Germany/Netherlands
Customised spotlights based on stringent US requirements
“US standards currently impose higher mechanical and electrical requirements than, for example, EU standards”, explains Tobias Spohr. “That is why the customised solution we developed — used from one Art Basel edition to the next — is based on the demanding US version.” The Parscan XL spotlights are equipped with special control gear certified for multiple technical environments and voltages ranging from 120 V / 60 Hz (US) to 230 V / 50 Hz (EU). All luminaires are also fitted with a US adapter, making them compatible with ERCO US track systems.
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
As a new feature, all luminaires are equipped with a potentiometer — a manually operated rotary dimmer. Unlike flush-mounted designs, this control protrudes clearly from the luminaire body, allowing brightness to be adjusted quickly and easily on site. Printed symbols on the lens rings further support quick installation and aiming on site by clearly indicating the light distribution of each lens.
The installation window is very limited and varies depending on the construction phase of each fair. The system must be designed so that technicians can install and adjust it intuitively and quickly — while still giving galleries the flexibility to stage their artworks.
Jessica Gauvin, Managing Director, Expomobilia
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
Modularity, energy efficiency and durability: a consistently sustainable solution
For transporting the luminaires between exhibition locations, ERCO worked with Expomobilia to develop a dedicated logistics solution: the spotlights travel safely and compactly in custom-made flight cases. They are pre-sorted to allow rapid unpacking and installation upon arrival.
The system is compatible with a wide range of installation conditions at different venues: In Basel, suspended rods hang from the hall ceiling, into which ERCO tracks or point outlets can be clicked. In Miami Beach, a truss system with ERCO US tracks is used. In Hong Kong and Paris, cantilever arms with integrated ERCO track sections are installed in front of the presentation walls. The Parscan spotlights can be mounted without tools and operated reliably within all these varying infrastructures.
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
Moritz Hillebrand
The new lighting system is designed for re-use across all Art Basel editions, significantly extending its lifecycle and contributing to sustainability. Combined with energy-efficient LED technology, this helps reduce both operational energy consumption and material use over time. Since the system moves between fair locations and is installed several times a year, durability and robustness are essential. The equipment must also be resistant to transport damage and easy to maintain.
Jessica Gauvin, Managing Director, Expomobilia
Moritz Hillebrand
ERCO: an experienced and reliable partner for a project of global relevance
For a project of this scope, Art Basel and Expomobilia sought a partner with proven expertise in museum- and gallery-grade lighting as well as experience in exhibition environments.
Moritz Hillebrand
“ERCO’s technical approach — particularly in precision optics and energy efficiency — perfectly met the requirements of the fairs. Equally important was the company’s willingness to work closely with us and adapt its solutions to the operational realities of a globally touring event”, explains Jessica Gauvin.
The new lighting system allows adjustments to different artworks, booth layouts and curatorial concepts while maintaining a consistent visual identity across all locations. This project is an impressive example of the collaboration between Art Basel, Expomobilia and ERCO — an alliance that combines gallery needs, operational experience and lighting expertise to optimally support the fairs worldwide.
Jessica Gauvin, Managing Director, Expomobilia
About the author:
Kristina Raderschad has run an editorial office in Cologne since 2005. A qualified interior designer (Dipl.-Ing.), her articles, reports and interviews on architecture and design are published worldwide – in magazines such as AD Architectural Digest, ATRIUM, ELLE DECORATION, HÄUSER, AIT or WALLPAPER*.