The upcoming Art Basel fair in Paris will undergo a name change, take place in the fully renovated Grand Palais, and see a significant increase in new participants.
The Paris edition of the legendary art fair, launched in 2022 as Paris+ par Art Basel to replace the defunct FIAC, will now be simply called Art Basel Paris, aligning with the international brand’s naming convention. However, this news pales compared to the fair’s other impressive achievements.
The fair has struck gold this season, finally moving into the gleaming glass and granite Grand Palais, which has undergone extensive restoration in recent years. Those familiar with French bureaucracy and leisurely pace will appreciate that this summer’s Olympics provided unprecedented momentum to the prolonged construction: the French President oversaw the final works, completed just in time for the Games. This autumn’s Art Basel Paris will be the second major international event held in the newly renovated palace.
The fair’s current lineup will see a one-third change: 194 galleries from 42 countries will participate, with 51 dealers making their Paris debut. Whether this is a political move to draw the “global South” audience closer to the West or simply a practical need to fill the vast exhibition space will become evident at the VIP preview on October 16 and 17.
The fair’s gallery distribution will maintain its traditional hierarchy while introducing a new section. The Galeries sector will once again host market veterans and major players, showcasing museum-quality masterpieces and million-dollar works from galleries like Perrotin, David Zwirner, Goodman Gallery, and Brazil’s A Gentil Carioca. The Emergence section will spotlight young dealers representing contemporary 21st-century artists. A new addition, the Premise sector, will allow gallerists to exhibit pre-1900s works for the first time — a significant departure for a fair traditionally focused on 20th- and 21st-century art. This move likely aims to counteract the declining international art sales, potentially introducing Impressionist works — the art market’s “blue chips” — to Art Basel.
The fair will also embrace its French flair with the new Oh La La! Initiative, encouraging dealers to refresh their displays mid-fair with rare artworks to stimulate additional interest.
The entire city beyond the Grand Palais will prepare for this international gathering of heavyweight collectors. Hotels, restaurants, fashion boutiques, squares, parks, and museums are planning various collaborations with artists and art-related events. The Louvre, for instance, has invited contemporary art star Luc Tuymans to create murals in the Valentin de Boulogne rotunda. The Centre Pompidou is hosting a grand celebration of Surrealism’s centenary, Fondation Louis Vuitton is organizing a Tom Wesselmann retrospective, and the Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection will offer a fresh perspective on the Italian arte povera movement. Contemporary art will be ubiquitous during this period — monumental works and installations will be found throughout the city, from the Tuileries Garden to Place Vendôme and along the autumnal tree-lined boulevards.
Photo: press-office, Laurent Kronental for Chatillon Architectes
