For its 26th edition from 4 to 7 April at the Grand Palais .ph.m.re, 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 136 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 Eric 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
136 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 bythe 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 frees air.
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 Mus.e Guimet (Paris). One of his interests is in the connections between contemporary art and artisanship. He has organized 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 movement in Japan, Expanded Craft in Vienna and Craft at Galerie Francesca Pia (Zurich) in 2023. His book Keramikos published by Buchhandlung Walther Konig was awarded the Most Beautiful Swiss Book prize in 2021.