Next month, Art Basel Paris, newly rebranded from Paris+ par Art Basel, will debut at the newly renovated Grand Palais. This event follows a surge of optimism in Paris after a successful Olympic Games this summer, with hopes that it will inject new vitality into an art market that has been sluggish due to high interest rates, ongoing genocide in Gaza and war in Ukraine, and the upcoming American presidential election.
“There is definitely a dynamism in Paris right now, which is palpable,” Clément Delépine, director of Art Basel Paris, told a newspaper. Take, for instance, the city’s dazzling and wonky Olympic opening ceremony, which he called “a signal to the world that Paris was ready for you, to welcome you from wherever you come from.”
Delépine’s team is also well-prepared for the fair, scheduled from October 16 to 20, which has been in preparation for two years. The event is moving to the impressive Grand Palais, known for its Art Nouveau design and glass ceilings. This new venue offers over 38 percent more space than the previous temporary location—over 100,000 square feet—enabling the fair to include 40 more galleries, bringing the total to 195 exhibitors, and to expand its programming.
“We’ve tried to redefine everything beyond the new name, but also to preserve what was distinctive of Paris,” said Delépine.
New additions to the fair include a larger emerging gallery area named Emergence, which will be located on the balconies surrounding the central nave of the Grand Palais—now accessible due to the renovation. Additionally, the fair will unveil Premise, a new section featuring curatorial projects from nine new galleries that question traditional art historical narratives. One highlight is a presentation by London’s Gallery of Everything, showcasing works by Janet Sobel (1893-1968), a Ukrainian-born, New York-based Abstract Expressionist known for her drip technique, which preceded that of Jackson Pollock.
“We needed a space for curatorial freedom,” Delépine said, adding that the section is designed as a meeting place that encourages “visitors to slow down and listen to the stories being told to them.”
A free public program featuring exhibitions and installations at various city venues has expanded to nine locations, with one still awaiting confirmation. The program now includes a new official partner: the fashion brand Miu Miu.
MATTHIEU CROIZIER
Despite the expansion of the fair, smaller and midsize galleries expressed to ARTnews in early July that taking part in Art Basel’s events during the art market’s downturn has posed significant challenges due to the substantial costs involved. Although Delépine mentioned he couldn’t disclose details about internal agreements with galleries, he offered that he has not “notice[d] anything that leads me to believe that the works on view at the fair will be any safer than they were in 2023 or 2022.”
“We already anticipate a number of masterpieces from galleries,” he continued.
The fair will also include several presentations that mirror institutional exhibitions around the city. This includes works by Tom Wesselmann, who is also showcased at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, and pieces by Surrealist masters, in reference to the Centre Pompidou’s major exhibit on the movement. For instance, Brussels’ Vedovi Gallery will present a significant René Magritte painting from 1965, titled Le Sourire Du Diable.
“You don’t bring a Magritte to any fair if you don’t feel you can sell it,” Delépine said, remarking on the impressive number of “very ambitious applications” his team received from dealers hoping to be selected for the Paris event. “There is definitely trust and confidence in what this fair can do.”
The financial pressures on galleries are significant, and in response, a record ten booths will feature collaborative projects between galleries, as reported by Delépine. This collaboration allows for the sharing of costs. For instance, London’s Emalin and Los Angeles and Mexico City’s Commonwealth and Council will co-present works by Nikita Gale, known for her immersive environments, alongside pieces by Leslie Martinez and Daiga Grantina.
Delépine encouraged applicants to be inventive with the historic building’s unique features and limited space. He noted that many chose to collaborate rather than submit individual proposals, turning potential challenges into opportunities. “It was a fantastic surprise for us and an interesting way to turn what could be perceived as a weakness into a strength,” he remarked.
Other notable features include a booth from New York’s Di Donna, which will showcase works by Cuban artist Wilfredo Lam alongside Cuban sculptor Agustin Cárdenas and French painter Yves Tanguy. Paris’s Applicat-Prazan will focus on “landmark” Surrealist paintings, while Landau Fine Art will present a 1909 painting by Alexej von Jawlensky, *Spanische Tänzerin*, which has been hidden from view for decades. Additionally, Glasgow’s The Modern Institute will feature site-specific sculptures by British Turner Prize winner Martin Boyce, designed to interact with the architecture of the Grand Palais.
The Art Basel shop, curated by Sarah Andelman from the former Paris concept store Colette, will debut a capsule collection of streetwear inspired by the fair’s 1975 yearbook cover, branded as AB by Art Basel. Additionally, a variety of new apparel and products created in collaboration with the artist collective Claire Fontaine will be available, alongside other limited-edition items from Art Basel exhibitors and brands.
To encourage visitors to attend beyond the opening previews, a new and playful program titled “Oh La La!” will launch on the weekend days of the fair. This initiative will feature a selection of rarely exhibited and “unusual” multimedia works, many of which have a humorous element.
Delépine conceded that there is “a lot of pressure” for Art Basel Paris to meet the art world’s expectations.
“There is so much positive energy and so much support and everyone wants to see us succeed,” he said. “So we’re going to do just that.”
