The NFT art platform Digital Basel, launched last year and accused of plagiarising Art Basel, has officially shut down.
On Wednesday, Digital Basel sent an email to all its subscribers announcing the shutdown. Part of the letter read: “The journey of our project has been fraught with challenges, and we must announce its conclusion.” The email also highlighted that the project’s journey was hindered by accusations levied against it. “Despite our relentless efforts to address these concerns and uphold our integrity, the pervasive criticism and bias from certain corners of the industry proved insurmountable.”
Digital Basel was founded in 2023, describing itself as “a new platform for curated digital art distribution with the opportunity to showcase artists and their work in a digital dimension.” However, what irked many was its implied connection with Art Basel. It started with the name, but went further with taglines like “Art Basel Goes Digital!”, and implying that it was a “digital twin” of the “biggest art fair”.
It was no wonder that Art Basel sent a cease-and-desist letter to the company in March 2023. A month later, the website returned with a few minor corrections – like a fine-lettered disclaimer that said that company was not affiliated with Art Basel.
This wasn’t the only accusation faced by the company. During its launch, Digital Basel’s website claimed to be selling NFT artworks from galleries like JTT, David Zwirner, and Kasmin. However, galleries like David Zwirner soon clarified that they weren’t selling any work via Digital Basel. Soon after, the company rescinded its claims and said it always aimed to promote NFT works through their site, not sell them.
