PARIS.- For its 26th edition from 4–7 April at the Grand Palais Éphémère, regional and cosmopolitan art fair Art Paris 2024 is truly in Olympic form. Focusing as always on discovery, it will be welcoming a very select group of exhibitors with a stronger international presence that comprises 135 hand-picked modern and contemporary art galleries from 25 countries. This edition will be exploring two themes: Fragile Utopias. A Focus on the French Scene and Art & Craft, led respectively by guest curators Éric de Chassey and Nicolas Trembley. The Promises sector for young galleries and Solo Show will be revealing new talents and featuring historical figures who deserve to be rediscovered. In 2024, Art Paris commits to further support the French scene by joining forces with BNP Paribas Private Bank, the fair’s premium partner, to launch the BNP Paribas Private Bank Prize. A focus on the French scene with a total prize award of 30,000 euros.

A rigorous selection process: 135 galleries were selected for the 2024 edition from a total of 291 applicants. With 42 new arrivals compared to 2023, the 2024 selection is marked by the very first participation of several trendsetting European contemporary art galleries: Esther Schipper (Berlin, Paris), Peter Kilchmann (Zurich, Paris), Meessen De Clercq (Brussels), Michel Rein (Paris, Brussels) and Richard Saltoun (London, Rome). They are joined by Poggi, Frank Elbaz and leading galleries, such as Continua, Lelong & Co, Almine Rech and Perrotin who are returning this year. 60% of the exhibiting galleries are French, which means Art Paris can showcase the entire scope of the French gallery ecosystem, from the prominent modern and contemporary art galleries in Paris to galleries across France, while providing support to young galleries.

The remaining 40% comprises a selection of foreign galleries that is boosted by the arrival of New York gallery Bienvenu Steinberg & J, Circle Art Agency from Kenya, Etemad from Iran or London-based Soho Revue. Modern art, which represents 20% of the selection, is characterised by numerous exhibits focusing on surrealism that mark the movement’s 100th anniversary in 2024. First time exhibitors Antoine Laurentin (Paris, Brussels), Boquet (Paris) and Czech gallery Cermak Eisenkraft provide a breath of fresh air.

Fragile Utopias. A focus on the French scene, by Éric de Chassey

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. He will also be writing a presentation of each artist’s work. 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.”

Éric de Chassey is the director of the Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art (INHA), a teacher at the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon and the former director of Villa Medici: The French academy in Rome. His latest publications include: Après la fin. Suspensions et reprises de la peinture dans les années 1960 et 1970 (Klincksieck, 2017) and L’abstraction avec ou sans raisons (Gallimard, 2017). In 2021-2022, he curated a number of exhibitions, such as Le surréalisme dans l’art américain, 1940-1970 (Centre de la Vieille Charité, Marseille), Napoléon? Encore! (Musée de l’Armée, Paris), Alex Katz. Floating Worlds (Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Pantin), Ettore Spalletti. Il cielo in una stanza (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, Rome) and Le désir de la ligne. Henri Matisse dans les collections Jacques Doucet (Musée Angladon, Avignon). In 2023, his exhibition Repetition can be seen at Centre Pompidou Metz.

Art & Craft, by Nicolas Trembley

This theme’s title, curated by art critic and independent exhibition curator Nicolas Trembley, 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 also write a text with a presentation of each artist’s work.

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.”

Nicolas Trembley is an art critic, exhibition curator and contemporary art advisor who shares his time between Paris and Geneva. He is currently artistic director of the Syz contemporary art collection. He has worked with various cultural institutions, such as the MAMCO (Geneva), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Le Consortium (Dijon) and Musée Guimet (Paris). One of his interests is in the connections between contemporary art and artisanship. He has organised numerous exhibitions on the subject, notably the touring exhibition Sgrafo vs. fat lava - ceramics and porcelains made in West Germany, 1960-1980, five different exhibitions between 2013 and 2022 exploring the Mingei (folk crafts or art of the people) movement in Japan, Expanded Craft in Vienna and Craft at Galerie Francesca Pia (Zurich) in 2023. His book Keramikos published by Buchhandlung Walther König was awarded the Most Beautiful Swiss Book prize in 2021.

Solo Show: sixteen single-artist exhibits

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, Erwin Olaf, Samantha Mc Ewen) and emerging artists (Leyla Cardenas, Lucia Hierro, Katia Kameli).

Promises: a sector supporting young galleries and emerging artists

Promesses, a sector focusing on young galleries created less than six years ago, provides a forward- looking analysis of cutting-edge contemporary art. Participating galleries can present up to three emerging artists and Art Paris finances 45% of the exhibitor fees. This year Promises plays host to nine international galleries:
Bim Bam Gallery (Paris), Galerie Felix Frachon (Brussels), Gaep (Bucharest), Galerie Hors-Cadre (Paris), Labs Contemporary Art (Bologna), Maāt Gallery (Paris), Molski gallery (Poznań), She Bam Galerie Laetitia Gorsy (Leipzig), Soho Revue (London)

Art Paris, a sustainable art fair

In what was a first in 2022, Art Paris adopted a sustainable approach to organising an art fair based on a life cycle analysis (LCA). This pioneering approach carried out in partnership with Karbone Prod has considerably reduced the fair’s environmental impact. Amongst other improvements, a reduction of 13 tonnes of waste (from 25 to 12 tonnes), 12 tonnes of reused material and a decrease in energy consumption by 37%. For 2024, Art Paris is pursuing its commitment to sustainability and increasing the scope of its approach to take into account the question of visitor mobility with actions aimed at encouraging the use of public transport and carsharing etc.

Paris, the world art capital this spring

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 (by invitation only), 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.