BASEL — The Living Museum Society hosted the "Living Museum x Open Invitational" exhibition at the Franck Areal in Basel, Switzerland, from June 15-20, 2026, during Art Basel week. This marked Open Invitational's first appearance at a major art fair.

The exhibition showcased artwork by artists with disabilities or mental health challenges. The lower level featured pieces from Living Museums across several countries, while the upper level displayed works from progressive art studios in the Open Invitational. The Franck Areal is an open public exhibition space located approximately 15 minutes from Art Basel's event halls.

"This is something that we needed in Basel," said Lilly Manger, a mental health nurse who cofounded Living Museum Basel. "This is mushrooming in the most beautiful way." David Fierman, a New York-based gallerist who cofounded the nonprofit Open Invitational in 2024 with Ross McCalla, said, "This is the biggest global art event on the annual calendar." Fierman added, "We're excited to bring the artists to the forefront of visibility in the art world." Raquel Guenat, a board member of the Living Museum Society, said, "We started looking around to make this happen to provide opportunities for artists to show their work."

Hop Peternell, who runs Studio Route 29, brought new artwork by Brian Armour Jr. and Michael Angelo Mangino to the Basel exhibition. Both artists have been with the studio since its early days. "BJ is such a storyteller," Peternell said. "The drawings are notated and there's a lot of language." Regarding Mangino, Peternell said, "It symbolizes something." He added, "He's drawn to abstract painting." Armour Jr.'s work frequently explores themes of dreams and time travel, while Mangino, who is non-verbal, often uses colorful, flat shapes in his art.

Dr. Janos Marton, a Hungarian artist and psychologist, and Bolek Greczynski, a Polish artist, founded the first Living Museum in 1983. There are currently over 40 Living Museums operating in 10 countries, with 17 located in Switzerland.