Closing summary

Everything was in place to ensure the resounding success of Art Paris 2022, which this year brought together 130 galleries from 23 countries at the Temporary Grand Palais Éphémère from April 7–10. The return to its usual spring dates meant that the fair once again kicked off the European art fair season, at a time when the health situation was starting to return to normal and all eyes were on Paris, which is in the midst of a cultural renaissance. Contributing to the fair’s success was its choice selection of leading galleries and, above all, its innovative strategy based on a strong commitment to the environment with two themes Natural Histories and Art & Environment (respectively led by guest curators Alfred Pacquement and Alice Audouin) combined with a sustainable approach that is a first for an art fair.

A total of 68,787 visitors in 2022. Despite the wintry weather and a relatively difficult general context caused by the war in Ukraine and the presidential elections in France, an enthusiastic and excited crowd of visitors packed the aisles right from the opening preview on Wednesday April 6. If a slight drop in the number of members of the general public visiting the fair was observed (five percent less than the 2021 edition that inaugurated the Temporary Grand Palais Éphémère with a total of 72,756 visitors), the number of professional visitors increased by twelve percent with a marked increase in cultural institution professionals and foreign (mainly European) collectors.

Exhibitors were overall satisfied both by their sales and new contacts made. Sales were strong and sustained for most participating galleries in modern and contemporary art, not to mention the emerging creation presented within the “Solo Show” and “Promises” sectors, which has been the subject of many sold out. Exhibitors have mainly sold to new clients and they all underlined the increase in the number and quality of collectors attendance at the fair.

Art Paris: the first art fair to implement a sustainable approach. Art Paris is an art fair with a regional focus that gives pride of place to proximity and local sustainable solutions, especially in terms of transport and visitor management. In what was a first for an art fair, Art Paris 2022 made a commitment to developing a sustainable approach to its organisation based on a life cycle assessment (LCA). At the end of April 2022, the fair will be communicating on the results of the LCA, which looked at how Art Paris impacted the environment during the production, setup and take down phases. Exact figures will be disclosed to show the extent to which, thanks to some forty actions implemented, Art Paris organiser France Conventions has reduced the fair’s environmental impact this year compared to the 2021 edition.
This pioneering approach made possible thanks to the help of Karbone Prod, in collaboration with environmental consultants Solinnen, will be renewed in 2023. In 2022, this project received the financial support of the French environmental agency ADEME and the long-term objective is to develop a tool to facilitate the organisation of eco-friendly art fairs.

Art Paris 2023, two themes dealing with notions of commitment and exile. In 2023, Art Paris will be celebrating its 25th anniversary and will run from March 30 to April 2, 2023 at the Temporary Grand Palais Éphémère. Two guest curators will address two themes.

Art & Commitment: a focus on the French scene by Marc Donnadieu. After Hervé Mikaeloff in 2021, Alfred Pacquement in 2022, in 2023 independent exhibition curator and curator in chief at Photo Élysée (Lausanne, Switzerland), Marc Donnadieu will be presenting his perspective on the French scene with a selection of 20 artists of different generations. His selection is based around these artists’ approach to the concept of “commitment”, whether a commitment to art, or to the world, its history and what is happening today. According to Marc Donnadieu: “If art doesn’t change the world, some works of art do resist and, in their own way, counter the attacks to which the world is subjected. Such works make us more clairvoyant; they foster empathy and emancipation, obliging us to open our eyes to art and the world, to both their histories and current affairs. It is this commitment made by artists and their art that I want to put in the spotlight and contrast with the obscurity that is darkening the outlook today.”

Exile: Dispossession and Resistance by Amanda Abi Khalil. Independent exhibition curator and founder of Beirut’s Temporary Art Platform (TAP) Amanda Abi Khalil will be selecting around twenty international artists based around the theme of Exile: Dispossession and Resistance.

Applications for Art Paris 2023 are now open until September 30, 2022.

Art Paris 2023
March 30–April 2, 2023
Grand Palais Éphémère
Place Joffre
75007 Paris

Public opening hours:
Thursday March 30: 12–8pm
Friday March 31: 12–9pm
Saturday April 1: 12–8pm
Sunday April 2: 12–8pm

Opening preview (upon invitation only): Wednesday March 29 from 11am–9pm.

Art Paris managing team:
CEOs: Valentine Lecêtre and Julien Lecêtre
Fair Director: Guillaume Piens

Press contact:
Pierre Laporte Communication
Pierre Laporte
Laurent Jourdren
Marie Lascaux
artparis [​at​] pierre-laporte.com
+33 (0)1 45 23 14 14