Paris Art Week in olympic games mode contemporarY

Will the Grand Palais, one of the iconic venues of the 2024 Olympics, be revived by the Swiss fair? At least in terms of the art market, nothing is certain. The market has been in a slump for several months (since the start of the war in Gaza), and both galleries and auction houses have felt the impact. In any case, it was no celebration of French creativity. MCH, the organizer of Art Basel Paris, has failed to capitalise on the return to the Grand Palais to increase the number of French galleries, despite having more space. Only 45 French galleries are participating, compared to 44 last year, even though the total number of galleries has risen from 154 to 192. Anglo-Saxon galleries dominate, particularly American dealers—regulars at Art Basel in Basel and Miami—who have shown up in force (43 in total). The strength of this Swiss giant lies in its network, which allows it to attract major foreign galleries and international collectors. As for the satellite fairs, most continue to promote foreign scenes, for example Paris Internationale, which has only eight French galleries out of 72 exhibitors. Also Known as Africa (AKAA), which promotes contemporary African art, returns to the Carreau du Temple, but in a smaller-scale version without major galleries like Cécile Fakhoury. Asia Now, serving as a showcase for Asian art, is back at the Monnaie de Paris, though with an uneven and not particularly exciting selection. In the end, only the Moderne Art Fair and Design Miami Paris seem to support French creativity. The former Art Élysées, which celebrates the reopening of the Grand Palais near its tents along the Champs-Élysées, mainly hosts traditional galleries. Meanwhile, Design Miami Paris has wisely taken advantage of the absence of design at Art Basel (unlike Fiac) by welcoming 13 French dealers out of roughly 20 exhibitors. Ultimately, it’s up to the galleries themselves to survive (which doesn’t necessarily mean supporting French creation). The Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art (CPGA) is hosting a «Modern and Contemporary Art Market Week» in the run-up to the fairs, featuring a host of new exhibitions. A special feature of the event is its Sunday start, a day when galleries are typically closed. However, the event, called “Starting Sunday” , hasn’t escaped the use of Anglicisms, which have become trendy in the industry, sometimes causing confusion. For example, Art Basel has named its new section “Premise” which bears a resemblance to Frieze Masters. Perhaps it avoided the French word “Prémisse” for being too, well, French. Even If it fails to invigorate the sluggish market and promote the French art scene, Paris Art Week at least succeeds in generating momentum beyond the fairs themselves. While Art Basel has abandoned its promise of expanding beyond visual arts, it continues the public program introduced by Fiac. Around 10 prestigious Parisian venues will host installations or monumental sculptures, including Niki de Saint Phalle’s work on the Parvis de l’Institut de France, installations by John Chamberlain and Yayoi Kusama, and a dismantled house by Jean Prouvé on the avenue between the Grand and Petit Palais, which will be closed to traffic. Though the traditional Tuileries Gardens aren’t part of the itinerary this year due to renovations after the Olympics, the Palais Royal gardens will feature about a dozen sculptures from the 20th century, including César’s famous Thumb. The impression of a vibrant art scene is enhanced by the fact that major exhibitions are opening simultaneously in Paris museums and foundations. Highlights include pop art at the Fondation Vuitton, the atomic age at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Arte Povera at the Bourse de Commerce, and a Caillebotte exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay. This buzz helps draw foreign collectors to Paris, encouraging them to open their wallets at art fairs and public auctions held alongside these events.