CULTURE

Paris+ par Art Basel stages contemporary art fair in the Grand Palais

Art Basel will make its debut in Paris next month from October 20-23. The show replaces Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain (FIAC) – an international art event that had been held in the City of Light since 1974. Formally stamped Paris+ par Art Basel, this new show will premiere at the iconic Grand Palais Éphémère in the epicenter of the capital.

Earlier this year, Art Basel, together with its parent company MCH Group, announced it was awarded a seven-year contract to stage a new contemporary art fair in Paris following a public competition by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais.

About Art Basel

Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Switzerland, Art Basel today stages world premier art shows for modern and contemporary art, in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong and now, Paris. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, reflected in participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. Art Basel’s engagement has expanded beyond art fairs through new digital platforms and a number of new initiatives such as the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast and the BMW Art Journey. The events act as a driving force in supporting the role galleries play in nurturing the careers of artists, and attracts art enthusiasts and professionals alike.

A Comprehensive Show

It’s hoped this new project will build bridges with France’s cultural industries – from fashion and design to film and music – to create a flagship event radiating throughout the city The new fair will take place at the Grand Palais’s temporary venue, the Grand Palais Éphémère, in the historic heart of Paris on the Champ-de-Mars, until restoration of the Grand Palais is completed in 2024.

“With its incomparable history and contemporary dynamism, Paris is uniquely positioned as a pivotal epicenter of the international cultural scene,” said Marc Spiegler, Art Basel’s global director. “We aim to build on Paris’s unparalleled standing as a global metropolis to help create a vibrant week that even further amplifies the city’s international resonance as a cultural capital.”

Fifty-Year History

Art Basel brings to this project its 50-year history of creating the world’s leading art fairs in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Defined by its host city and region, each Art Basel show is unique – reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition.

As in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong, Art Basel is working closely with Paris’s museums, private institutions, galleries and other cultural spaces, to create an active cultural program from morning to night, all week during the show, and throughout the city.

By combining the history of Art Basel and the cultural heritage of Paris, the new event will bring together artists, collectors, curators and gallery owners from all over the world to unite Parisian cultural actors beyond the Grand Palais. To deliver this ambitious new project for Paris, Art Basel established a new French entity and is employing a dedicated team on the ground. It is also working closely with France’s gallery community to ensure strong representation in the fair’s selection committee. In addition, Art Basel intends to develop an identity and a brand specific to the Parisian fair.

Townhouse Amanda

Only the most elite and private accommodations are befitting your stay in Paris while attending Paris+ par Art Basel. Townhouse Amanda is a one-of-a-kind riverfront estate on the serene islet of Ile Saint Germain. Neither Rive Droite nor Rive Gauche, this gorgeous riverfront property is an oasis of discretion and tranquility, a romantic boat ride upstream from the city's historic core. Modern and minimalist sensibilities enhance the home’s striking dimension, with neutral earth tones interrogating the distinction dichotomy between the synthetic and the organic. Oakwood and steel blend perfectly, curating a thoroughly modern property automated with the latest audiovisual and smart home technology. This exclusive Parisian vacation home presents a vast reception room opening onto a large teak terrace. A focal swimming pool dominates the deck, embraced by lush gardens and Seine river access. A private boat fitting 11, directed by an experienced skipper, beckons enjoyable escapades with friends or family. As with all LVH homes, you will receive full services and 24/7 support.

Galleries

The fair is split into three sectors. Galeries is the main exhibition sector of Paris+ par Art Basel. It features galleries specializing in Modern and contemporary art, displaying work of exceptional quality including paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, photography, video, and digital art. The Galeries Émergentes sector gathers exhibitors presenting young and emerging artists through solo presentations, and the Sites sector is dedicated to artistic projects taking place across the city of Paris.

The Sites sector takes place in different venues across the city which will be activated by public art commissions, including the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, Musée national Eugène-Delacroix, and Chapelle des Petits-Augustins des Beaux-Arts de Paris, as well as a number of collaborations with the city’s cultural institutions.

There is also a program of talks, called Conversations. However, there’s a special twist in Paris: Programming, curated by Pierre-Alexandre Mateos and Charles Teyssou, will take place on a docked boat opposite the Eiffel Tower.

“The galleries selected for our debut in Paris embody Art Basel’s long-standing tradition of juxtaposing high-quality historical with avant-garde material,” Spiegler said. “The galleries that make today’s Paris so dynamic are present in large numbers, across many market sectors, giving this show a singularly Parisian personality.”

There will be 156 galleries participating in the flagship fair. Here are a few of the heavy hitters:

• Pace
• Gagosian
• Hauser & Wirth
• Esther Schipper
• Sadie Coles HQ
• Marian Goodman
• Kamel Mennour
• Perrotin
• Galerie Chantal Crousel
• Galerie Nathalie Obadia

Sixty-one local galleries will make up more than one-third of the galleries represented.

Although this Paris event is from October 20-23, October 19 is a pre-viewing reserved for VIPs. If you are a lover of contemporary art, you will surely want to attend Paris’s first Art Basel event to be a part of the history of this fair. LVH can get you there in time to see the show and will prepare a tailor-made itinerary for you with other incredible things to see and do while you’re in this idyllic city. We invite you to reach out to one of our client relations team members who will get the wheels in motion for you to be a part of the first ever Art Basel in Paris.