In less than a month, one of Paris' unmissable fairs, Art Paris, is set to return to the city for its 26th edition, scheduled at the Grand Palais Éphémère from the 4th to the 7th of April. Following a record attendance of almost 82,000 visitors in 2023, this will be the last fair to be held at the Grand Palais Éphémère before the Paris Olympic Games and the reopening of the newly renovated Grand Palais.
Art Paris 2024 Exhibitors
With a focus on discovery, the fair will welcome 136 galleries representing 25 countries and over 900 artists. Similar to previous editions, this year's event is characterised by its regional and cosmopolitan nature, aiming to bring together modern and contemporary art from leading international galleries while also supporting the French art scene and gallery ecosystem.
42 newcomers are expected to make their debut at the fair, among them important European galleries such as Meessen De Clercq (Brussels), Peter Kilchmann (Zurich, Paris), Esther Schipper (Berlin, Paris), and Richard Saltoun (London, Rome). They are joined by returning galleries such as Continua, Lelong & Co, and Perrotin. This year, the international group of galleries is richer thanks to the arrival of galleries Bienvenu Steinberg & J (New York), Circle Art Agency (Nairobi), and Etemad (Iran).
This year's edition has two main themes: Fragile Utopias - A Focus on the French Scene and Art & Craft, curated respectively by Éric de Chassey and Nicolas Trembley. There will also be 18 single-artist exhibits throughout the fair thanks to the Solo Show sector, allowing visitors to discover or rediscover in-depth the work of modern, contemporary, and emerging artists. The Promises sector, focusing on young galleries less than 6 years old, will feature 9 exhibits of cutting-edge contemporary art. As 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Surrealism, several exhibits will be dedicated to the movement, and around 20% of the selection will feature modern art.
Art & Craft
For one of the show's two main themes, art critic and independent exhibition curator Nicolas Trembley has drawn inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement born in Great Britain at the end of the 19th century. The Arts and Crafts movement emerged as a response to the industrialisation of the Victorian era, aiming to prioritise craft production over industrially produced goods. Led by artists and designers such as William Morris, the movement sought to blur the boundaries between the decorative and fine arts. In doing so, it advocated for the use of natural materials like wood, glass, wool, and clay across daily life, from toolmaking to furniture, decorative objects, clothing, and jewellery.
Arts & Crafts profoundly influenced art, design, and architecture history, and it paved the way for subsequent movements worldwide, such as Constructivism (Russia), Bauhaus (Germany), and Mingei (Japan), whose influences persist in the contemporary art scene.
The Art & Craft section of Art Paris will explore how modern and contemporary artists have taken on and reinterpreted the world of craft, including ceramics, glass, tapestry, and many other mediums traditionally belonging to the realm of applied arts. Around twenty international artists will be chosen from among the exhibiting galleries, offering visitors a thematic journey throughout the fair. The exhibits will delve deeper into the world of craft, exploring its political, social, and feminist implications. This focus will reintegrate the practices of minorities and recognise the contribution of women artists, whose art has often been relegated to the status of artisanship.
“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,” comments Nicolas Trembley.
Sustainability
Since 2022, Art Paris has adopted a sustainable approach that has considerably reduced the fair’s environmental impact, including a 50% reduction in waste, the reuse of 12 tonnes of materials, and energy savings of 37%. To make contemporary art accessible to a wider audience, Art Paris will also offer 125 guided tours of the fair as well as virtual tours on the website.
