In Paris, "Art Basel" will replace the" Fiac"

Earthquake in the art world: to strengthen its "global influence", Paris decided on Wednesday to bet on the international giant of contemporary art fairs "Art Basel" to succeed the Fiac, which had been exhibiting for almost a half a century in the French capital. Unbeatable on the world art market, the contemporary art fair Art Basel, owned by the Swiss group MCH, takes place every year in Basel in Switzerland, Miami in the United States, and Hong Kong. Art Basel said they are "happy" with this choice, in a press release, wishing "to offer a vibrant week which will confirm the place of cultural capital that Paris occupies on the world stage." Art Basel had spontaneously expressed interest in the City of Light in November and was selected on Wednesday by the board of directors of the Réunion des musées nationaux. It succeeds the Fiac, 47 years of existence. Its owner RX-France, a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch RX, explains in a press release "strongly regret this decision taken brutally. The Fiac denounces "a hasty and biased procedure" which "impacts the entire ecosystem linked to the contemporary art". The call for competition also concerned the organization of the international photographic art fair, which remains in the hands of Paris Photo (24 years old), also owned by RX-France, and "the strongest brand in the world of the photo", added the RMN-GP. MCH and RX will have to make a commitment over a period of seven years, for an overall cost estimated at 10.6 million euros for the contemporary art fair and 7.5 million euros for the photographic event, excluding costs techniques, according to the call for tenders. Among its financial supporters, Art Basel includes the Anglo-American James Murdoch, son of the press magnate Rupert Murdoch, 30% shareholder of the MCH group and "enthusiastic" about the arrival of the fair in Paris, specified to AFP its World Director, Marc Spiegler. The new contemporary art fair in Paris "will not be a Basel fair satellite, " assures the cultural operator. He wants "a specific brand" - whose name is not yet chosen - and promises "a controlled pricing policy so that the price of the stands does not explode". It is a question, he says, of "paying particular attention to the place of French artists and French galleries". Chris Dercon, Belgian polyglot president of the RMN-GP since 2019, dreams of making the Grand-Palais, which will host the two events once restored, "a magical instrument, in the heart of Paris". His goal? "Work closely with Art Basel", to "create bridges" between contemporary art and the various cultural industries such as digital, fashion, publishing or video games. The "new French entity" will be administered "by teams based in Paris", and will work "hand in hand with the community of French galleries", promises Art Basel. - "Spectacular" - For the president of the art galleries committee, Marion Papillon, the arrival of this giant in Paris "turns the landscape of fairs upside down; well beyond France, with a concentration of major players" in the face of which they hope "to see develop other smaller (living room) models," they told AFP. "I am very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​​​this change", comments to AFP gallerist David Zwirner (Paris-London-New York-Hong Kong). "Those who have taken part in the FIAC for years will have to adjust, but I'm sure the arrival of Art Basel will be spectacular," he said. The future Parisian international contemporary art fair is scheduled from October 20 to 23 and that dedicated to photography from November 10 to 13. They will be held in 2022 and 2023 at the ephemeral Grand-Palais, temporarily built behind the Eiffel Tower while awaiting the restoration work on the historic building in the main nave near the main nave Champs-Elysées, which is scheduled to reopen in 2024. seen in Actu.orange.fr video : highlights Basel Miami 2021 video : Art Basel explained