Moderne Art Fair, the fair that lives up to its name

Housed in temporary pavilions running the length of the Champs-Élysées, from Place Clemenceau to Place de la Concorde, it will sit directly opposite the Art Basel Paris contemporary art fair, which has returned to the Grand Palais after three and a half years of renovation. “This close proximity to Art Basel provides a unique opportunity to enhance the appeal of our event, and fostering interesting synergies that will benefit us all. We are delighted with this new dynamic and remain determined to offer a fine, rich and different experience for our visitors and participants, ” say the organisers, Isabelle Keit-Parinaud and Adeline Keit. The first pavilion showcases modern art galleries focusing on post-war movements. The Hurtebize gallery (Canne) shows works by Georges Mathieu, Tom Wesselmann, Andy Warhol and Bernard Buffet. Galerie Bert, which focuses on the second École de Paris, exhibits works by Olivier Debré, Hans Hartung and Serge Poliakoff. At Galerie Messine, works by Maria Helena Vieira da Silva rub shoulders with Alexander Calder, while Galerie Omagh unveils pieces by Chu Teh-Chun, Arman and César. Several exhibitors are seeking to establish dialogue between past and present. This is the case of Galerie Baudoin Lebon, which has opted to juxtapose works by Henri Michaux with the work of Karen Farkas and sculptures by the Chinese artist Lim Dong-Lak. In the same spirit, 1831 Art Gallery (Paris), in collaboration with Rosenberg & Co (New York), juxtaposes paintings by Françoise Gilot, Dora Maar and Marie Laurencin with ceramics by Eleanor Lakelin and sculptures by Aude Herlédan in an all-female showcase. The contemporary section features Bel-Air Fine Art, with sculptures by Jeff Koons, as well as hyperrealist works by American sculptor Carole Feuerman - she was one of the three main artists to launch the movement in the late 1970s - and works from the Flow series by French artist Paul Sibuet. A number of solo exhibits are also being organised, including one by Huberty & Breyne, featuring François Avril, and by Galerie GNG, featuring actress and artist Anouk Grinberg. The Moderne Art Fair is a multidisciplinary event, rooted in the legacy of modern art - to which it gives pride of place - while also building a bridge to contemporary art. “In fact, this year we’re putting special emphasis on contemporary art through a number of exhibitions, including one featuring the Bonisson Art Center in Rognes, as well as new galleries and contemporary art enthusiasts such as Millenn’Art, Atelier Buffile, the Dutch gallery Artitled, Art22, Nichido and LKFF. An installation will be created for the fair in collaboration with Levita and the young Belgian artist Esther Denis, ” say the organisers, who seek to change the image of a fair, where the average price displayed is between €30,000 and €40,000.