The radical change this year, beyond the fact that, for reasons obvious, the event isn't organised in springtime, is the moving of Art Paris Art Fair to the Grand Palais Éphémère. This modern, temporary building was built by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte on the Champ-de-Mars, across from the Eiffel tower, to host events in lieu of the Grand Palais, in rénovations until 2024. It's the art fair that will inaugurate the Grand Palais Éphémère's 10.000 m² of available space that aim to offer a new environment to the event. "It gives the fair a new breath of life in a new structure that is both monumental and humble" says a joyful Guillaume Piens, who points out that the new building allows for better lighting, as it doesn't have a skylight.
Grand Palais Éphémère - ext © Wilmotte & Associés Architectes
For the past couple of years, the fairs have followed the same model, Art Paris's commissioner insists on its "cosmopolitan regionalism and it's desire to put forth a different story. It's an asset today with the pandemic, this fair has a unique story and doesn't see itself as being in a competition against other art fairs, but rather as an addition to them."
"We welcome more than 70% of all french galleries, and not only from Paris but also from Marseille, Montpellier, Lille, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg [...] It's a definite strength in the current situation."
Beyond the regional dimension of the fair, it sets itself apart by bringing together well established names of the contemporary art world, young galleries, but also renowned modern artists. Among those are, Thaddeus Ropac, Almin Tech, the Kreo gallery, Perrotin, Max Hertzler and in a different vibe with the return of Anne de Villepoix.
As far as the young guns go, we can mention the Derouillon gallery, Pact, Stems. It was Guillaume Piens' wish to bring some youth to the fair, appointing a young Pauline Pavec to the board of selection. And for modern art, the Patrice Trigano gallery will present portraits by André Derain and Mayoral, as well as works by Eduardo Chillida and Manolo Millares.
Thomas de Vuillefroy, RNP 190 (2020) - Galerie Valérie Eymeric
Manolo Millares, Animal de fondo (3) (1962) - Mayoral
Figurative painting as the center of attention
For this year, there won't be a focus put on any international scene, but rather a keen interest on the comeback of figurative painting brought forward by commissionner Hervé Mikaeloff, with particular attention put on a parisian scene come back to life. 20 artists have been chosen among which you can find Marc Desgrandchamps at the Lelong gallery, Malingrëy with Le Feuvre & Roze, Rose Barberat at Pact, Marcella Barceló with Anne de Villepoix, Alex Foxton from the Derouillon gallery, Thomas Lévy-Lasne with Filles du Calvaire and Bilal Hamdad at H Gallery.
For Guillaume Piens : "The energy of the Paris scene is materialising with the partnerships being put in place, partnerships with organisations such as : the Fondation Pernod Ricard, the Endowment Fund Bredin Prat, Poush, Art Explora, CulturFoundry, the Carnavalet museum and the Hunting and Nature Museum in Paris. The situation with the global pandemic has pushed us to put an emphasis on promoting the French scene."
Alex Foxton, Head of Saint George (pink) (2020) - Galerie Derouillon
Art Paris is "a fair that looks for art both far away and right around the corner, we also want to shake off any reductive stereotypes. Certain events don't even have labels next to their exhibited works. We don't want to become an elitist event made only for the few, we reject any snobbishness. We are an event for the 99%"
