To commemorate Art Basel’s 55th anniversary in 2025, artist Massimo Agostinelli unveiled 55,000 Wishes—a striking intervention that dispersed 55,000 five-cent Swiss rappen coins throughout the fairgrounds, the surrounding city, and into the Messeplatz fountain, while also handing out individual coins as personal wishes.
Drawing on the coin’s rich lineage—from the 13th-century Rappenpfennig and the 1399 Rappenbund to the enduring Libertas motif introduced in 1879—Agostinelli reclaims the rappen as a symbol of freedom. In doing so, he transforms it into a quiet yet powerful critique of art’s commodification. Modest in value but rich in meaning, each coin contributes to a collective celebration of Art Basel’s legacy—while simultaneously advocating for a future in which art is freed from the grip of the market. Agostinelli’s gesture, both poetic and provocative, delivers a clear message:
through liberated creation, may art—and Art Basel—be made great again.
*What Is This?*
This is what it is. Simply 55,000 coins worth 5 cents each donated to Art Basel for their 55th anniversary.
*Have you done anything like this before?*
In some ways yes and some ways no, that’s the beauty of these interventions, they’re always different.
*Why do you do it ?*
I don’t really know, guess I can’t help myself and haven’t quite figured out the answer to that yet but still working on it and I’ll let you know once I do!
*Do you plan to do anything more with these interventions?*
Yes, eventually they’ll all be combined into 1 exhibited body of work, someway, somehow and hopefully somewhere!
*How many do you want to do before you stop*
So far there are 8 interventions so maybe 10 is a good place to start again!
MORE: t1m.com
