Lorenzo Rudolf

Between 2000 and 2003, Rudolf ran the Frankfurt Book Fair. In 2007, he launched ShContemporary in Shanghai – a Fair specialising in contemporary art. In 2010 he founded Art Stage Singapore, an international event with a particular focus on promoting and fostering Asian art.

Lorenzo Rudolf (born 1959 in Bern, Switzerland) is a Swiss art dealer, curator, art fair organiser and director of Art Stage Singapore, which he founded in 2010.

Born in Bern, Switzerland on 20 May 1959, Rudolf studied law at the University of Bern, before joining SIX Financial Information, a telecommunications company in Zurich, as PR Manager in 1988. In 1991, Rudolf was appointed Director of Art Basel, where he initiated a global expansion of the fair, developing a waiting list of over 700 galleries by the time he left in 2000. By introducing a strict selection process for exhibitors corporate sponsorships, VIP privileges and educational fringe events, Rudolf adopted bold tactics together with his commercial experience to evolve and grow the fair into the world-class cultural and social event that it is today, making it one of the first fairs with such an extensive and engaging programme. Rudolf became known for his global outlook and commitment to broadening artistic horizons, examples of this include introducing the critically lauded Art Statements and Art Unlimited platforms to the fair. Under his tenure at Art Basel, Rudolf also created and initiated Art Basel Miami Beach, which launched in 2002. The fair was considered by some to be controversial as it did not take place in New York – known by many to be America’s art capital.