ART FAIRS:Art Paris 2021

After being the first art fair in the world to open its doors in September 2020 after lockdown restrictions ended, Art Paris will also be the first art fair to take up residence in the Grand Palais Éphémère on the Champ-de-Mars from 9 to 12 September. Designed by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, this spectacular temporary structure which is situated in front of the École Militaire and close to the Eiffel Tower, will host events scheduled at the Grand Palais until the building reopens for the Olympic Games in 2024.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Art Paris Art Fair Archive

The Art Paris 2021 selection includes more than twenty modern art galleries, not forgetting those contemporary art galleries that now prefer to establish a dialogue between their artists and key historical fi gures. An overview of some of the booths where rare, museum-grade art by well-known and recently reappraised artists can be found. Marking the 25th anniversary of his gallery specialising in art brut, Jean Pierre Ritsch-Fisch is presenting an ensemble of exceptional pieces at Art Paris, including the “Tête bicéphale dite Barbu Müller” (before 1900). For him, this volcanic rock sculpture represents a consecration, the holy grail. Helene Bailly Gallery Paris has given over her entire booth to works by Pablo Picasso, whose artistic genius paved the way for modernity in art. This monographic exhibit is comprised of an ensemble – paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics produced between 1919 and 1969 and which conveys the sheer diversity and scope of Picasso’s creative talent. Amongst other works, the gallery is presenting a unique ceramic vase, the “Aztec vase” (1957), produced in collaboration with Suzanne and Georges Ramié, the founders of the Madoura pottery workshop in Vallauris. Drawing inspiration from the vases of Pre-Columbian civilisations, notably those with stirrup handles, this exquisite vase is a tribute to non-Western art. It is original in that it features an entirely different face on each side and, at more than 51 cm high, its dimensions can be considered monumental. Victor Vasarely arrived in Paris in 1930. Before launching his radical Op Art revolution in the 1960s, he was one of the protagonists of the New School of Paris and only began his optical and kinetic experimentations in the 1950s. Galerie AB is presenting “B.1950”, a rare oil on panel from this period marked by the tensions between the partisans of figurative and abstract art. The rhythm of the lines and the curved surfaces that are almost threatening in their forcefulness, in addition to a limited palette of blue and black, give rise to tensions between the apparent verticality of the stacked shapes and the sensation of depth and reveal the talent of this important abstract painter. The 2021 edition will feature 26 solo shows. These monographic exhibitions spread throughout the fair allow visitors to discover or rediscover the work of modern and contemporary artists in depth. Starting with modern artists, Helene Bailly Gallery (Paris) is presenting a Pablo Picasso solo show with an ensemble of works – paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramics – from between 1919 and 1969 that express the diversity and scope of his creative genius. Galerie Wagner has put together a mini retrospective of works by Guy de Lussigny, a key figure of geometric abstraction who deserves to be rediscovered. As for the contemporary section, three artists selected by guest curator Hervé Mikaeloff (as part of his focus on the French Scene) will be presenting their approach to figurative portraiture: the portraits of Henri VIII by Alex Foxton (Galerie Derouillon) call into question a certain vision of masculinity; the poetic universe of François Malingrëy (Galerie Lefeuvre & Roze) portrays a world that is both strange and familiar; and Rose Barberat (Galerie Pact) develops a figurative pictorial language using references to narration and autofiction. Amongst the solo shows by foreign artists, visitors could discover the textile installations by Zimbabwean artist Georgina Maxim (31 Project); the colorful and gestural abstract paintings of Iranian-born artist Mojé Assefjah (Galerie Tanit); the naïve, narrative landscapes of American artist Jessie Homer French (MASSIMODICARLO) that teem with unusual details; and the post-minimalist objects of German artist Gerold Miller that revisit the heritage of geometric abstraction (Un-Spaced). To inaugurate the fair, French artist and performer Sarah Trouche will be presenting “Attrape-Lune”, a walking performance piece whose idea she came up with during lockdown in April 2020. On April 4th, 2020 Sarah Trouche made an appeal on social media to find people willing to take part in her project during the full moon by sharing something different from the usual news about the Covid-19 pandemic. In just a few minutes she received more than 950 photos with views of the moon as seen from lockdown. This act of sharing light and hope constitutes the starting point of the performance she devised for Art Paris 2021 with the Winterstory In The Wild Jungle troupe, in collaboration with Galerie Marguerite Milin and with the support of RTE Group. Nine dancers wearing matador-inspired costumes fitted out with round mirrors and lights will set off through the aisles during the fair’s opening on Wednesday September 8th from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm (by invitation only), thereby creating a ballet of light that will reflect both the architecture of the Grand Palais Éphémère, the visitors and the works of art exhibited by the 140 participating galleries.

Photo: Daniel Buren, Colored Triangles by Myriad, for Riyadh, 2021, KAFD Conference Center, Riyadh auto-adhesive coloured transparent vinyls dimensions variable, © Daniel Buren, Courtesy the   artist and Galleria Continua

Info: Atistic Director: Guillaume Piens, Art Paris Art Fair 2021, Grand Palais Éphémère, Plateau Joffre, Paris, Duration: 9-12/9/2021, Days & Hours: Thu (9/9) 12:00-20:00, Fri (10/9) 12:00-21:00, Sat-Sun (11-12/9) 12:00-20:00, Admission: Thu or Fri: € 25 / € 14 for students and groups, Sat or Sun: € 30 / € 16 for students and groups, 2-day pass: € 35 / € 20 for students and groups, Free entry for children under 10 years old, https://www.artparis.com