Art Paris Art Fair
(05/04/2018 - 08/04/2018)
http://www.artparis.com
Art Paris Art Fair
The leading springtime event for modern and contemporary art in Paris
20 Years - An overview of the French art scene
Guest of Honour: Switzerland
From April 5th - 8th 2018, Art Paris Art Fair will bring together 140 galleries from some twenty different countries at the
Grand Palais. Diversity and discovery are the key words of this leading springtime event for modern and contemporary
art in Paris that combines a region-by-region exploration of European art from the post-war years to the present day
and a cosmopolitan perspective on emerging scenes from around the world.
20 years - an overview of the French art scene
In 2018, Art Paris Art Fair will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. True to its original vocation to support the French
art scene, the fair will be juxtaposing the subjective, historical and critical perspective of an exhibition curator, with a
selection of specific projects focussing on artists in France who, both in the past and today, have managed to preserve
their independence from dominant trends, or were situated on the margin of mainstream art history. These projects,
submitted by participating galleries, may include a monographic presentation, a duo of artists, or a themed exhibition
and will be highlighted in the fair’s communication.
Guest curator: François Piron, art critic and exhibition curator.
François Piron is an independent curator, art critic and publisher. After studying literature and theater, he is now responsible for the
post-diploma of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and co-founder of the Paraguay publishing cooperative in
Paris. From 2000 to 2005, he co-directed the Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers. From 2007 to 2012, he co-directed the independent art
space castillo / corrales in Paris.
He was curator of Incorporated!, the 5th edition of the Biennial of contemporary art Les Ateliers de Rennes in 2016, and with Guillaume
Désanges, he has recently co-curated the exhibition The French Spirit. Countercultures 1969-1989 at La maison rouge, Paris, 2017. In
June 2017, he has published Guy de Cointet, Complete Theater, a monograph devoted to the writings of the artist Guy de Cointet.
Guest of honour: Switzerland
After Africa, this year Art Paris Art Fair will be decked out in the colours of Switzerland. The guest of honour 2018 is
both the birthplace of major contemporary artists and a place at the crossroads of different traditions and cultures. In
short, Switzerland is a country that counts in the art world. If the ‘new Swiss art scene’ in the 90s, led by figures such as
John Armleder, Pipilotti Rist,Thomas Hirschhorn, Peter Fischli and David Weiss or Ugo Rondinone, has gained its place
in international museums, what about today’s young generation of artists?
This spotlight on Switzerland will promote the wealth and diversity of the young Swiss scene through a selection of
galleries and artists that are completely unknown or seldom seen in France. The tribute also includes a programme of
videos, a section devoted to artist’s books and special projects that will provide different perspectives on this country.
Art historian and independent exhibition curator Karine Tissot will be in charge of the programme devoted to the fair’s
guest of honour, Switzerland.
Karine Tissot is in charge of the Yverdon-les-Bains Contemporary Art Centre (CACY), which she set up in 2013. An art historian, she
graduated in literature from the University of Geneva and worked for many years at the city’s Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, followed by the
MAMCO (Geneva). In parallel to her commitments with various institutions, she has always been active in other fields, such as teaching
art history and writing art criticism (Art Review, London; Flashart Magazine, Milan; ArtPassions, Geneva). She has played an active role
in various organisations and worked on projects in support of artists and culture. She has organised numerous exhibitions, contributed
to several publications and published around ten books (lapage.ch) including Les Objets de l’art contemporain (2011); Keliuaisikiqs
(2015); Totchic (2016); Franziska Furter and Ex Machina (2017).
Solo Show: encouraging monographic exhibitions
Monographic exhibitions are a special moment in an artist’s career. They help develop a better understanding of their
work and, in so doing, add to their recognition. Ever since 2015 and thanks to a subsidised tariff, the Solo Show sector
has been encouraging the presentation of fifteen or so monographic exhibitions spread throughout the fair. Solo Show
is the subject of extensive media coverage and boasts a travelling exhibition, ‘Solo Show s’expose sur Bus expo’ on the
Le Bus Direct – Paris Aéroport shuttle buses that criss-cross the capital.
Promises: supporting young galleries and emerging artists
This sector, located in the centre of the Grand Palais, hosts 12 young galleries that are under six years of existence.
They may present up to three artists maximum and Art Paris takes care of 45% of the galleries’ participation costs. In
partnership with L’art est vivant and The Fine Art Collective, Art Paris Art Fair launched a new prize in 2017 that aims to
support a young talent, represented by one of the galleries in the Promises sector, at a key moment in his/her career.
Monumental digital art on the façade of the Grand Palais
In cooperation with a number of participating galleries, Art Paris Art Fair offers a unique programme of spectacular
projections of digital art on the façade of the Grand Palais every evening for the duration of the fair. In partnership with
the company Vidélio, this digital mapping project brings to life and transforms the façade of this majestic historical
monument.
Paris, capital of the Arts
A wind of change is blowing across France and particularly Paris with several new private foundations set to open in
2018. The City of Light asserts more than ever its role as capital of the Arts. The special VIP programme, ‘Springtime in
Paris’, will illustrate the effervescence of the Parisian art scene this spring, whilst highlighting the Swiss presence in Paris.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Preview (by invitation only): Wednesday 4th April from 6pm to 10pm
Hours:
Thursday and Saturday: 11:30am–8pm
Friday: 11:30am–9pm
Sunday: 11:30am–7pm
Art Paris Art Fair Managing Team
CEO: Julien & Valentine Lecêtre
Fair Director: Guillaume Piens
Director of Communications and Partnerships: Catherine Vauselle
Selection Committee
Carina Andres Thalmann, Galerie Andres Thalmann (Zürich)
Alain Chiglien, Galerie Nec Nilsson et Chiglien (Paris)
Ernst Hilger, Galerie Ernst Hilger (Vienna)
Jean-François Keller, art collector
Diane Lahumière, Galerie Lahumière (Paris)
Marie-Ange Moulonguet, art collector
Press agency
Heymann, Renoult Associées | Sarah Heymann
Julie Benisty Oviedo, j.oviedo@heymann-renoult.com
English and German press: Bettina Bauerfeind, b.bauerfeind@heymann-renoult.com
Italian press: Eleonora Alzetta, e.alzetta@heymann-renoult.com
+33 1 44 61 76 76 | www.heymann-renoult.com
www.artparis.com