Design © Herzog & de Meuron, design by Jacques Herzog in collaboration with Glassworks Matteo Gonet. Courtesy of Jessica Dreier and Art Basel.
When the newly established Art Basel Awards invited Swiss architect Jacques Herzog to design its inaugural trophy in 2025, he knew exactly what he did not want. Herzog rejected the idea of a gilded statuette or a triumphant knight. Instead, he pursued something lighter and more poetic. The final design is a hand-blown swirl of clear glass that is shaped, in part, by breath, evoking a drifting cloud caught mid-formation. Through this object, Herzog turned the trophy into a living symbol of creativity in motion, celebrating transformation rather than permanence.
As he developed the award, Herzog moved away from traditional laurels, metallic finishes, and figurative symbols. He set out to create what he called a “material manifestation of creativity.” He and his collaborators produced 11 distinct glass forms, each free-blown without a mold. The team relied entirely on molten glass, breath, torch, and gravity to shape every piece.
To realize the concept, Herzog worked closely with Swiss glassworker Matteo Gonet, known for stained-glass installations and crystalline sculptures. The pair tested smoky hues and even gold finishes. Ultimately, they chose complete transparency. Gold, despite its long association with prestige, felt too obvious. Clear glass offered what Herzog described as a “pure, immaculate expression.” It carries no fixed narrative and invites personal interpretation.
The launch of the Art Basel Awards marked the first time the organization honored emerging artists, curators, institutions, patrons, and behind-the-scenes contributors together on a global stage. And in an art world that grows more collaborative and cross-disciplinary each year, Herzog’s trophy feels timely. It remains open-ended and full of possibility, just as the creative landscape honors.
Jacques Herzog designed the Art Basel Awards trophy as a breath-formed glass cloud that embodies creativity in motion.
Design © Herzog & de Meuron, design by Jacques Herzog in collaboration with Glassworks Matteo Gonet. Courtesy of Jessica Dreier and Art Basel.
The result is 11 free-blown sculptures that capture the fleeting moment when an idea first takes shape.
Design © Herzog & de Meuron, design by Jacques Herzog in collaboration with Glassworks Matteo Gonet. Courtesy of Jessica Dreier and Art Basel.
A transparent design rejects traditional gold symbolism in favor of openness, transformation, and global craft.
Design © Herzog & de Meuron, design by Jacques Herzog in collaboration with Glassworks Matteo Gonet. Courtesy of Jessica Dreier and Art Basel.
