Basle May Sell $300 Million

The Swiss city of Basel becomes an art shoppers' mall today, stocked with works by artists including Pablo Picasso, Georg Baselitz and Damien Hirst. Collectors will spend more than $300 million on art through June 18. With 55,000 visitors to 300 stands, the world's biggest modern and contemporary art fair is part of a $1.5 billion spring sale cycle, from New York's May art auctions to London's this month. Early reports from art dealers indicate buyers aren't yet deterred by stock-market jitters from the U.S. to Russia. For the full story - click the title Irish Art