04 – 07 APRIL
The leading spring event in the northern hemisphere for modern and contemporary art.
Art Paris is a regional and cosmopolitan art fair that focuses on discovery, while supporting the French art scene. After a successful anniversary edition in 2023, which closed with a record attendance (81,857 visitors), the 26th edition of Art Paris will bring together 136 modern and contemporary art galleries from 25 countries, from 4 to 7 April 2024, at the Grand Palais Éphémère. It will be the last art fair to be held there before the Paris Olympic Games and the reopening of the newly renovated Grand Palais.
Two themes led by two guest curators will be given pride of place in 2024.
Fragile Utopias, A Focus on the French Scene. Éric de Chassey, director of the Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art (INHA), teacher at the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon and exhibition curator, will share his perspective on the French scene with a selection of 20 artists chosen from among the exhibiting galleries on the theme Fragile Utopias.
As Éric de Chassey points out: “The sole function of the visual arts is not one of representation or decoration, they also provide models that can guide our perception, thoughts and actions, in other words they contribute to constructing possible utopias. These utopias may be embodied in any form and with every medium, however in these uncertain times marked by major changes in society and the way we understand the world, they are often of a temporary and precarious nature and as such they are ‘fragile’ utopias.”
Art & Craft is the title of the theme placed in the capable hands of art critic and independent exhibition curator Nicolas Trembley. It takes its name from the pioneering Arts and Crafts movement that saw the light of day in Great Britain at the end of the 19th century. The theme will address the way in which modern and contemporary artists have taken – and continue to take – the world of crafts (ceramics, glass, tapestry etc) and make it their own, combining in so doing thought and gesture. Around twenty international artists will be chosen from among the exhibiting galleries to comprise a themed tour of the fair. Nicolas Trembley will write a text with a presentation of each artist’s work to accompany this tour.
To quote Nicolas Trembley: “Although it is true that the visual arts at the beginning of the 20th century incorporated practices more often associated with the applied arts, the emergence of a more conceptual form of contemporary art put an end to this historical way of doing things. Since the beginning of the 21st century and the development of a globalised art market that pushes minority practices and groups to the fore, we are witnessing the emergence of artworks whose techniques are traditionally related to artisanship. Furthermore, we are rediscovering works by historical and contemporary artists whose approach borrows from the world of craft.”
Solo Show, in favour of monographic exhibitions; Art Paris encourages the presentation of monographic exhibitions spread throughout the fair. These solo shows spread throughout the fair allow visitors to discover or rediscover in depth the work of modern (Jean Hélion, Jacqueline, Jean Lerat), contemporary (Gilles Barbier, Samantha Mc Ewen) and emerging artists (Leyla Cardenas, Lucia Hierro, Katia Kameli).
Promises: Supporting Young Galleries and Emerging Artists; a sector focusing on young galleries created less than six years ago, provides a forward-looking analysis of international cutting-edge contemporary art. Participating galleries may present up to three emerging artists and Art Paris finances 45% of their exhibitor fees. This year Promises plays host to nine international galleries that include Bim Bam Gallery (Paris), Galerie Felix Frachon (Brussels), Gaep (Bucharest), Hors-Cadre (Paris), Labs Contemporary Art (Bologna), Maāt Gallery (Paris), Molski gallery (Poznań), She Bam! Galerie Laetitia Gorsy (Leipzig), Soho Revue (London).
Art Paris is dedicated to making contemporary art accessible to the widest audience, offering some 125 guided tours of the fair as well as a number of specific tools, in particular its elaborate yet eminently practical website which presents a virtual visit of the fair and filters allowing visitors to search for works by artist, price, geographical provenance and technique…
In the run-up to the Olympic Games 2024, Paris is in the midst of an exceptional period of cultural and artistic renaissance, as illustrated by the opening of new galleries and venues, the renovation of existing cultural institutions and the inauguration of new ones. The 35 events that comprise the “In Paris during Art Paris” VIP programme for collectors and art professionals, bear witness to the effervescent art scene this spring in Paris. It features Brancusi at the Centre Pompidou, Jean Hélion at the MAM Ville de Paris, Myriam Mihindou at the Musée du Quai Branly, Robert Ryman at the Musée de l’Orangerie and Bijoy Jain/Studio Mumbai at the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain to name but a few.
Visit artparis.com
Dorian Cohen, San Titre, 2023. Paris-B
Ellande Jaureguiberry, Vertumme, 2021. Galerie
Fathi Hassan, Scratch time, 2023. Nil Gallery