March 27, 2026 | Art & Culture
media partner YUZU
ART PARIS’s RETURN to the GRAND PALAIS: Measured Yet Ambitious
words Onur Basturk
Held at the Grand Palais from 9–12 April 2026, Art Paris once again clarified its position within the contemporary art market — measured, yet ambitious. Notes on Art Paris 2026…
A MORE LEGIBLE ALTERNATIVE
- The fair’s return to the Grand Palais, an elegant emblem of Belle Époque architecture, reinforced its presence on every level. The density and compression often associated with large-scale fairs gave way to a more balanced, fluid experience. The openness of the space allowed for a clearer, more direct encounter with the works. There was continuity; works were not crowded or overlaid. Art Paris, in this sense, offered a more legible alternative alongside fairs such as Art Basel or Frieze.
TWO SECTIONS STOOD OUT
- In its 28th edition, Art Paris brought together around 165 galleries, presenting an ambitious program within a Paris that continues to gain momentum in the post-Brexit cultural landscape.
A key element was its engagement with contemporary issues through projects led by guest curators.
Two sections stood out. Babel – Art and Language in France gathered 21 artists exploring the diversity of linguistic and symbolic systems in contemporary French art.
The second, developed by Alexia Fabre, deputy director of the Centre Pompidou Francilien, approached contemporary practice through the notion of “Repair” — understood not only as restoration, but as a way of living with transformation.
- Greater visibility for younger galleries was another defining aspect of this year’s edition — a point frequently echoed across the fair.
HIGHLIGHTS
As for highlights, while difficult to map comprehensively, a selection emerges:
- Sepand Danesh (A2Z Gallery) and Alireza Shojaian (Bendana Pinel).
- Two distinct voices from Iran; Jeff Kovatch’s Quiet Fullness (Galerie La Forest Divonne).
- Maximilen Pelet’s sculptural works in ceramic, steel and wood (Double V Gallery).
- Bérangère Fromont’s portraits (Galerie Bacqueville).
- Alin Bozbiciu’s striking work (Galerie Sizanieve Tarasieve) and Gustavo Nazareno’s paintings (Opera Gallery).
- Also notable were the works of Giuseppe Lo Schiavo (GLOS) (Spazio Nuovo), whose practice moves between technology, science and art history.
- Further presentations included Laurent Proux (Semiose Galerie), Bilal Hamdad (Galerie Templon), Anna Fasshauer (Fabienne Levy Gallery), Alison Saar (Galerie Lelong), Cristina Almodóvar (Dutko), Aurélia Jaubert (Galerie Pol Lemaîtres), Mehdi-Georges Lahlou & Raphaëlle Péria (Galerie Papillon), Daniel Buren & Shilpa Gupta (Galleria Continua), and David Tremlett (Galleria Studio G7).
