EDITORIAL: Art Paris 2023

Art Paris – which was founded in 1999 – is organised by France Conventions, a French family-run business. Thanks to the efforts of its owners, Julien Lecêtre and Valentine Lecêtre, together with fair director Guillaume Piens, Art Paris has become, in the space of 25 years, a leading spring arts event, an innovative art fair that fosters discovery, setting out to explore in depth the world of modern and contemporary art.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Art Paris Archive

Art Paris is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an edition that bringa together some 134 galleries from 25 different countries at the Grand Palais Éphémère. Art Paris has put the spotlight on many countries or continent’s art scene: Russia (2013), China (2014), Singapore and Southeast Asia (2015), South Korea (2016), Africa (2017), Switzerland (2018), Latin America (2019) and the Iberian Peninsula (2020). In parallel, Art Paris is committed to supporting the French scene. Since 2018, it has been asking an exhibition curator to turn a subjective, historical and critical eye on a selection of specific projects by French artists from among the participating galleries. A specific theme is chosen and the focus is accompanied by a text presenting their work. This year’s theme is Art & Commitment: with independent exhibition Marc Donnadieu. Boosted by the success of its previous editions, the 2023 selection pursues the fair’s development with a list of exhibitors renewed at 33% (i.e., 44 new galleries compared to 2022) and the continued presence of a number of international heavyweights: Almine Rech, Continua, Lelong & co., Mennour, Perrotin, Templon and nathalie Obadia. 60% of the exhibitors are from France and 40% internationally-based. This deliberate choice enables the fair to showcase the wealth of the French gallery ecosystem that includes leading modern and contemporary art galleries and galleries based in towns all over France, while providing support to emerging structures with “Promises”, the sector for young galleries. Sixteen solo shows spread throughout the fair allow visitors to discover or rediscover in depth the work of modern, contemporary or emerging artists. As far as historical figures are concerned, The idea of establishing a dialogue between different traditions, generations and cultures brings together two French artists, Marianne Aublet (1948) and Jimmy Ruf (1980) and Indian artist Shine Shivan (1981) at the booth of Felix Frachon (Brussels). Shivan’s large charcoal, red oxide and ink drawings on traditional Indian paper feature monstrous creatures from other dimensions, cosmonauts with clawed hands and animals and humans with crude, tortured features. Anne-Laure Buffard Inc (Paris) showcases three artists, Korean twin sisters Park Chae Dalle and Park Chae Biole (1997) and French visual artist Elie Bouisson (1996). All three question the way we choose to live by highlighting the value of everyday gestures (knitting for Park Chae Dalle and Park Chae Biole and sewing for Elie Bouisson) as well as their relationship with natural elements (leaves transformed into colourful canvases for the former and an assemblage of organic materials, textiles and familiar objects for the latter). Spaceless Gallery (Paris, Miami) pays tribute to artificial intelligence, organic forms and raw materials with a collaboration between three artists from the French scene, ceramicist Olga Sabko (1990); the aurèce vettier collective (1990), who combine poetry and artificial intelligence; and Quentin Derouet (1988), who is presenting new works on canvas painted solely using colours from a red rose hybrid that he created especially for the quality of its pigment.

Photo: Adel Abdessemed. COCORICO PAINTING, TOUCH OF GOLD, 2017, Painting, Mixed media, 85 x 115 x 4 cm, Galleria Continua San Gimignano

Info: Fair director: Guillaume Piens, Guest Curators: Marc Donnadieu & Amanda Abi Khalil, Grand Palais Éphémère, 2 Plateau Joffre, Paris, France, Duration: 30/3-2/4/2023, Days & Hours: Thu (30/3 & Sat-Sun 1-2/3) 12:00-20:00, (Fri 31/3) 12:00-18:00, Admission: Thu or Fri: € 25 / € 15 for students, Sat or Sun: € 30 / € 18 for students, 2-day pass: € 35 / € 20 for students, Free entry for children under 10 years old, www.artparis.com/en