Photo: Art Basel 2023, Sprüth Magers gallery booth with Anne Imhof
Which Fall Fair is right for you?
The busiest time of the year for contemporary art in Paris is coming again. The third week of October will be packed with art fairs, exhibition openings, galleries night, events, auctions, outdoor installations, parties... It’s going to be difficult to choose what to see! Read our review to help you decide which art fair you will attend.
A few tips: most of the fairs now have one or two days of preview, upon invitation only. If you aren’t part of the fairs VIP lists, you can book tickets for the public days. Many fairs are starting at 11am, so you can plan a museum exhibition first, or see the outdoor sculptures in the city, then the fairs and after, if you still have energy, late opening hours or vernissages like Late Thursday in the galleries, and parties at night... Expect people dressed with style (it’s Paris after all) but you better wear flat shoes or sneakers ;) The program for exhibitions in museums in the city is intense, you’ll find a link below to make your selection (see last section “In Paris that week”). This Autumn, with the centenary of the Surrealism manifesto, artists from this movement are everywhere, even serving as a referral to many young ones. Enjoy the Paris art week!
Starting Sunday
This year again, with the support of the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art, the galleries are launching the Paris Art week. On Saturday October 12th, several galleries are opening their new show, be ready for a festive spirit until 9pm at Perrotin, Marian Goodman, Semiose, Backslash… And Sunday October 13, more than 100 galleries will be open to welcome all visitors, in the Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés or avenue Matignon. Another visit opportunity for the Marais galleries is during the traditional late opening night, Thursday 12 (check which ones with the link below) and Monday evening for the Matignon area.
Gallery openings list
Starting Sunday, Oct 15, 2-6pm
Late Thursday, Oct 12, 7-9pm
1- Art Basel Paris
The Parisian edition of Art Basel is reaching its full scale in 2024: finally named Art Basel Paris, finally at renovated Grand Palais, the marquee fair announces 40 more participating galleries than last year -up to 195 from 42 countries- and a new sector, Premise with specific curatorial proposals. In Galeries section, you will find masterworks of modern art like Magritte, Schiele, Delaunay to contemporary art stars of the 70’s and 80’s like Wesselmann, Basquiat, or Warhol to today. Emergence sector will let you discover the latest trends in contemporary art with 16 solo shows brought by their galleries. Friday and Saturday visitors will be granted with a renewed presentation of challenging artworks in a parcours called Ohlala.
This year, head to Palais Royal instead of the Tuileries (in course of renovation after the Olympics) for the open-air sculptures and installations of G. Amer, R. Matta or T. Schütte among others (visible from October 15 to 26). The Art Basel free outdoor program has been extended to 10 places in the city, notably a group of sculptures by Lynn Chadwick in the garden of Hôtel de Sully or a former fountain by Nicky de Saint Phalle in front of the Institut de France. One of our favorite hidden place in Paris, the Petits Augustins chapel inside the School of Fine Art, presents works by Jean-Charles de Quillacq.
>> Unmissable for contemporary art professionnels and serious collectors. If you love name recognition and seeing artists, gallerists and collectors who are on the international art fair circuit.
You like recognizing works you've seen in museums and art magazines. The ones that make headlines when they sell at auction.
You love to see so much art, among crowds of fellow-admirers, so much art it sets your brain on fire. In a good way.
ART BASEL PARIS, at Grand Palais, Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008.
VIP days: Oct 16-17
Public opening days: Oct 18-20. Full price 44€
2- Design Miami. Paris
Design Miami.Paris is coming back for the second time, at the same place, the magnificent 18th century private mansion L’hôtel de Maisons. It showcases historic and contemporary collectible design pieces by around 25 leading Parisian and international galleries. Furniture covering the 20th century to today will be highlighted.
>> If you like design, don’t miss it!
Design Miami. Paris, Hôtel de Maisons, 51 rue de l’Université, 75007.
VIP day: October 15
Public days: Oct 16-19. Full price 38€
3- Paris Internationale
For its 10th edition, the fair returns to the former phone call center Centrale Bergère, near Grands Boulevards and announces a large participation of 72 galleries from 19 countries. We count on its usual work in progress atmosphere!
>> If you're interested in the next big thing, up-and-coming artists with an edge, those represented by younger galleries -but already acclaimed by the art world.
You’re willing to take a chance on less well-known names, new techniques and new visions. (We are not saying that all artworks there are inexpensive, be warned.)
You want to have an opinion on the latest trends in art, with a less tight and more spontaneous atmosphere, you won't be disappointed.
PARIS INTERNATIONALE, 17 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 75009.
VIP day: Oct 15
Public days: Oct 16-20. Free upon registration on their site.
4- Asia Now
It’s also the 10th edition for Asia Now! The Monnaie de Paris - the French Mint on the Seine proved to be an excellent set-up for the fair so it returns there, accross the entire site, with a lively mix of galleries booths and open-air projects in the courtyards. This fair has become unmissable for the representation of the contemporary art scene across Asia, from Central Asia to the Asia-Pacific region countries and their diaspora (123 galleries from 28 territories, including blue-chips ones). The collective The Radicants, founded by Nicolas Bourriaud, has been invited to curate an exhibition titled Ceremony, with a performative program, video, dance, music, oral traditions and offerings.
>> If you feel that an entire new art market and artist generation is growing and you want to discover it, you will learn, discover and appreciate a lot at…
ASIA NOW PARIS, Monnaie de Paris, 11 quai de Conti.
Vip day: 17 octobre
Public opening days: Oct 18-20. Full price: 15€
5- Offscreen
Installations, still and moving images found their place with the fair Offscreen, now in its third year. The former Garage Laborde is responsible for a big part of its 2023 success and the fair is wisely going back there. Other reason: the choice of solo show presentations for the 27 international avant-garde, historical and contemporary artists displayed on the 8 levels.
>> If you want to spend more time focusing on a selection of powerful images, visit
OFFSCREEN, Grand Garage Haussmann
43 rue de Laborde, 75008
Preview day: Oct 15
Public opening days: Oct 16-20. Free upon registration on their site
6- AKAA fair
You want to discover, be amazed and collect the exponential growing scene of artists from Africa and its diaspora, visit AKAA art fair, aka Also Known as Africa, returning to Carreau du Temple with 36 galleries. The fair has gathered an interesting team of curators and artists to present projects, installations and critical pieces.
AKAA, Carreau du Temple, 4 rue Eugene Spuller, 3e
VIP Preview: Oct 17
Public opening days: Oct 18-20. Full price, 16€
7- Moderne art fair
You want to see or buy modern and contemporary art and you trust your own inner art critic, you know what you like, or you will know it when you see it. You don't need the marketplace to tell you what to buy. You want to buy but your budget has fewer zeros than would get you a Jeff Koons. You should look for the white tents of
MODERNE ART FAIR, Place Clémenceau to Place de la Concorde.
Public opening days: Oct 17-20. Full price, 25€
8- Private choice
If you like a fair set in the conditions of a real home, go see the selection of art and design made by Nadia Candet (46 artists in total this year). This year, the location is a historical house in the 16th.
PRIVATE CHOICE, 40 rue Paul Valery, 16e
Public opening days: Oct 11-20. Free upon registration on their site.
9- Thema
Second edition for Thema, a fair around art, architecture and craft, created by the founder of the Paris and Los-Angeles concept-store L’Eclaireur. Located in a vacant private mansion, just in front of Design Miami Paris, it offers an interesting selection of pieces in an old-fashioned and magical atmosphere.
THEMA FAIR, Hôtel de Guise, 72 rue de l’Université, 7e.
Public opening days: Oct 15-20. Full price, 15€
10- The Salon by Nada and The community
Two associations are collaborating to organise this new fair in Paris with 50 galleries: the New Art Dealers Alliance founded in New-York in 2012 (NADA) and the Paris-based curatorial unit The Community created in 2016.
THE SALON BY NADA AND THE COMMUNITY, 30bis rue de Paradis, 10e
Public opening days: Oct 17-20. Free upon registration on their site.
In Paris during that week…
Museum exhibitions: many openings and great shows - list here
Galleries exhibitions: Don't want to commit, just want an afternoon or evening stroll with great art? Ask us for a custom art tour! Pick the Marais, Saint Germain, Matignon -- you name it, it'll be a great moment for art.
Get a city I art insider private tour
Auctions: look at the sites of Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Artcurial, Piazza, Drouot,… they are planning special contemporary art auctions at that period!
No time for planing or need help for an acquisition?
Contact us to organise a visit or help you find the perfect artwork for your tastes and budget.
November fairs
Two weeks only after the Contemporary art week, get ready for November fairs, mainly around photography but also Fine Arts and more.
Paris Photo, November 7-10
Approche, November 7-10
Fine Art Paris Biennale, Nov 22-27