This year’s edition of Art Paris was, as always, the place to be in springtime for modern and contemporary art. The fair closed its doors on Sunday 6 April having welcomed a record number of 86,975 visitors (compared to 69,575 in 2024, representing an increase of 25%).
As Art Paris returned to the magnificent light-filled setting of the Grand Palais – enhanced by its recent renovation and seen to its advantage thanks to the beautiful weather – the press and visitors alike hailed this 27th edition as the most successful in the fair’s history. It was truly a lovely and joyous moment full of emotion and far from the turmoil of the world today.
A leading Parisian springtime event for modern and contemporary art, this edition of the fair boasted an exceptionally rich and varied programme. In addition to 170 exhibitors from 25 different countries, two new sectors located on the balconies overlooking the nave were big crowd-pullers. Promises brought together 25 young galleries, whereas the French Design Art Edition, co-produced with Le FRENCH DESIGN,
featured 18 exhibitors (galleries, architectural firms and design studios) in addition to a group show focussing on limited editions and contemporarydecorative arts. Two themes ran though this recordbreaking edition: Immortal: A Focus on Figurative Painting in France (curated by Amélie Adamo and Numa Hambursin) and Out of Bounds, placed in the capable hands of Simon Lamunière.
The fair also featured 26 solo shows, five exhibitions organised by private and institutional partners (Malala Andrialavidrazana by Art Absolument, Le chuchotement des mains by Camille Fournet Paris, Le Fonds d’art contemporain-Paris Collections, NEUMA, The Forgotten Ceremony by Villa Hegra and Transcription(s) by Montresso*-Art Foundation) and a cycle of dozen talks, notforgetting a monumental installation by Sophie Ryder presented by GOWEN Gallery. Guests invited
by the participating galleries had the benefit of a VIP programme that included 32 visits to exhibitions and cultural events across Paris. On Friday April 4, there was a festive air in the Grand Palais as Art Paris premium partner BNP Paribas Banque Privée and Art Paris put on a special evening event accompanied by a series of performances by Poush.
Numerous official visits also took place during the fair, including that of Brigitte Macron accompanied by the Queen of Denmark. The fair also welcomed 96 Friends of Museum groups (mostly European), which represented an increase of more than 20% compared to 2024.
Some exhibitors in the general sector did better than in 2024: Galerie Dina Verny had its best ever Art Paris results with the 6-figure sale of a sculpture by Maillol. Galerie Boquet was in a similar situation having found a buyer for its Picabia for the price of €120,000.
Michel Rein sold some fifteen artworks for prices ranging from €4,000 to €45,000 (for a sculpture by Edgar Sarin). Galerie Loevenbruck was equally satisfied having sold 30 artworks priced between €3,500 and €50,000 (for a sculpture by Dewar & Gicquel), as was Almine Rech with 6 artworks that sold for between €25,000 and €160,000 (for a tapestry by Claire Tabouret). Nathalie Obadia (15 works with a stunning €364,000 for a painting by Mickalene Thomas), Templon (20 works sold, including a piece by KehindeWiley that sold for €180,000), Galleria Continua (8 works sold, including a Pascale Marthine Tayou acquired for €135,000), Clémentine de la Féronnière (her solo show featuring Belgian artist Jesse Willems sold out with prices ranging from €4,000 to €18,000) and Pauline Pavec (who sold a painting by Juliette Roche for €50,000) were equally satisfied.
