 Bringing together local and international contemporary art tendencies, Kunsthalle Basel is well known for its presentation of thought-provoking new artworks and display methodologies, as well as for its wide range of public programs that include artist talks, performances, and film screenings.With a long list of esteemed curators and directors who have helmed the institution, including over the last decades, , Peter Pakesch, and Adam Szymczyk, it has, since November 2014, been directed by Los Angeles-born Elena Filipovic.The construction of Kunsthalle Basel was prompted in 1864 by the merger of the Basler Künstlergesellschaft (Society of Basel Artists) and the founded in 1839.