“Flumen”: Basel Artist Dirk Koy Transforms the Hall 2 Façade Into a Work of Art
Olivia Feldheim
From 12 December 2026 to 22 January 2027, the façade of Hall 2 at Messeplatz becomes the stage for a new video projection by Basel artist Dirk Koy. Daily from 5 to 9 pm, free entry.
From 12 December 2026 to 22 January 2027, Basel artist Dirk Koy presents his new work “Flumen” as a large-scale video projection on the façade of Hall 2 at Messe Basel. The project is created in cooperation with Verein Mesh Festival and MCH Group. The projection is freely accessible daily from 5 to 9 pm and is part of Regionale 2026 and Museumsnacht Basel 2027.
In “Flumen”, Dirk Koy combines natural, urban and digital landscapes into a continuously flowing visual space. The starting point is Basel itself: the Rhine, plants, architecture and movement in the urban space are captured through drawings, photographs, drone footage and 3D scans, digitally transformed and woven together. The result is a hybrid terrain between reality and virtuality, nature and technology. The work, which runs for around 15 minutes, is developed specifically for the façade of Hall 2.
Dirk Koy describes his approach as follows: “I am interested in the moment when the boundaries between natural, urban and digital worlds dissolve and new, hybrid landscapes emerge.” According to the artist, drawing, video and virtual design interlock and connect different levels of reality in a continuous transformation.
Art for everyone on the Messeplatz
With the projection, the Messeplatz becomes a public venue for media art during the winter evenings, appealing to passers-by as much as to an art-interested audience. “Flumen” also creates a platform on which local media art becomes visible and reaches a wider audience.
The work is curated by Sabine Himmelsbach, director of HEK (House of Electronic Arts): “What excites me about this project is that we are bringing art and technology out of the museum and directly into public space, reaching a broad audience, including people who might not deliberately visit an exhibition. In Dirk Koy, we have won over a Basel artist who uses digital images in surprising, poetic and playful ways. I am convinced that his projection will turn the façade of Hall 2 into a fascinating experience and invite people to see the Messeplatz and the city of Basel with fresh eyes.”
The project was initiated by Verein Mesh Festival Basel in cooperation with MCH Group and is supported by the Stadtbelebungsfonds Basel (Basel Urban Revitalisation Fund). “The Messeplatz is where people from across the whole city meet. Especially in the dark season, the façade of Hall 2 becomes a stage for contemporary art that everyone can see,” says Roman Imgrüth, CEO Exhibitions & Events at MCH Group. Lukas Ott, Head of Cantonal and Urban Development Basel-Stadt, adds: “The facade of Hall 2 of MCH Group is a projection surface for this artistic work, which will create an attractive focal point to enliven the city center.”
On view: 12 December 2026 – 22 January 2027, daily 5–9 pm
Location: Messeplatz, Basel
Admission: free
