FIAC in Paris to be replaced by Art Basel in 2022

WHY ART BASEL RATHER THAN THE FIAC IN 2022?

The flagship event, organized every year for the past 48 years, is undergoing a major change for the 2022 edition. The call for tenders launched by the RMN (Réunion des Musées Nationaux)-Grand Palais has effectively resulted in the awarding of the organization to another group, the Swiss group MCH. RX France and MCH are among the leading professionals in the organization of trade shows and events, particularly in the field of cultural industries.

Swiss group MCH wins tender for Art Basel

Following a call for projects organized by the Grand Palais, the news came in January 2022: the Swiss group MCH won the bid. The announcement shook up the art world: Art Basel is moving to Paris. For seven years from 2022, the international contemporary art fair born in Basel will take over the ephemeral Grand Palais at the end of October each year and the Grand Palais when it reopens in 2024, a niche that the FIAC has occupied for decades.

Following the wishes of MCH, the Swiss owners of the Art Basel fairs in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong, the group would like to host our own Paris edition in the Grand Palais in the penultimate week of October. Art Basel's Paris+ has already unveiled its program. With 156 galleries selected, 61 of which are based in France, the contemporary art fair is demonstrating its desire to expand its international reach and defend Paris' leading position in the field.

RMN - The Board of Directors of the Grand Palais had announced the decision to fill its vast and emblematic Parisian building with two annual events: the Art Fair and the International Photography Fair. The result stems from the spontaneous interest expressed by Art Basel's organizing group, MCH, to host these two events in these premises. To justify its choice, the Paris-based organization stated in a press release that MCH, a world leader in its field, is "an important investment in the face of a changing, increasingly competitive and demanding market. The aim here is to ensure the dynamism of the market.

Why "Paris+" instead of "FIAC", and why not Art Basel?

After the Biennale's strange attempt to swap its name for the zany (and soon to be abandoned) "Ex.Paris", the choice fell on "Paris+". There were restrictions on the nomenclature of the show. It was imperative to include the word "Paris" rather than any direct reference to the Anglicism or the Grand Palais. The name Art Basel Paris, the most expected option, would have been declined.

This name draws on the artistic and cultural aura of the city internationally. Paris, the capital of the arts, has become in recent months an unprecedented attraction for collectors and art market players. So here it is with a promising "+", a special character with graphic possibilities (marketing) and a certain symbolism. You can express the enthusiasm of the organizer. So it doesn't matter if the acronym is suitable for the new online services of the RATP or for other projects of associative engagement.

what is the fiac annd what will be with art basel?

First of all, a little reminder of what this notable event of the art market in France and in the world is. Let's start at the beginning: what does FIAC mean? FIAC stands for Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain, and the word is on the lips of all lovers and professionals of contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The FIAC has been held every year since 1974 in the heart of the Parisian capital. More than a privileged place to discover French and international creations, it is an unmissable event in October. In 2021, the event included several sections:

FIAC Galleries presents some of the most iconic contemporary art, modern art and design galleries on the international scene. From contemporary masters of the early 20th century to emerging trends, the talents of today and tomorrow are on display.

Through its artistic program, FIAC also aims to broaden the range of spaces of expression available to galleries and artists, making the intimate experience of creation accessible to as many people as possible.

FIAC Hors les Murs is an open-air exhibition that allows the public to discover the artistic map of the city, taking place in various emblematic places in Paris, such as the Tuileries Gardens, the Eugène Delacroix Museum and Place Vendôme. FIAC's programming features a cultural program during the fair, with free and open access shows (FIAC Parade) and conferences (rooms).

FIAC Week is also an opportunity to discover the special programs offered by Parisian museums and cultural institutions during the fall. In addition, many galleries participate each year in the Nocturne des Galeries, offering nightly tours of the capital on Thursdays during the fairs.

What a program it was!

And with Art Basel? Will we follow in the footsteps of the FIAC?

The program of Paris+ 2022 (or Art Basel 2022) does not differ greatly from FIAC. The international fair is still held at the Grand Palais in Paris. This fall 2022, from October 20 to 23, Paris+ (Art Basel) at the ephemeral Grand Palais will be a modern and contemporary art fair. Its objective is to create bridges with other cultural sectors in order to build an emblematic fair that respects the identity of Paris and its cultural scene.

The Paris+ by Art Basel gallery presents artists in its extension of the ephemeral Grand Palais and the Champ de Mars. The fair is divided into three sectors. Galleries are the main sector of Paris+ by Art Basel. A collection of modern and contemporary art galleries presenting high quality works including paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, photography, video and digital art. The Emerging Galleries sector is a collection of galleries presenting solo exhibitions of young and promising artists. Beyond the Ephemera at the Grand Palais, the Site Pole covers art projects in the heart of Paris. Finally, there is little change in the form of the new fair, which will delight FIAC regulars and contemporary art enthusiasts.