A spring fair of discovery Spotlight on Africa

Press release - January 2017
A spring fair of discovery
Spotlight on Africa
From 30th March to 2nd April 2017, the 19th edition of the Art Paris Art Fair will play host to some
130 modern and contemporary art galleries at the Grand Palais. Open to all forms of artistic
expression including design, Art Paris Art Fair provides an overview of art from the post-war
years to the current day with a theme-based approach that emphasises discovery. This edition
puts African art under the spotlight and features monographic exhibitions in the Solo Show
section and up-and-coming artists in Promesses (Promises).
The 2017 selection: increased international standing and a stronger
contingent of modern art galleries
The 2017 selection bears witness to the fair’s increased international standing with 29 countries
represented (compared to 22 in 2016) and 52% non-domestic exhibitors. Exploring the regions
of Europe constitutes one of the fair’s main areas of work, with this year the participation
of galleries from Barcelona (ADN Galería), Madrid (Galeria Alvaro Alcazar), Rome (Montoro
12), Knokke-Heist (Guy Pieters Gallery) and Amsterdam (Flatland Gallery), not forgetting
13 galleries from different parts of France such as Cédric Bacqueville from Lille, D.X Galerie
from Bordeaux and J.P. Ritsch-Fisch from Strasbourg. Newcomers from Paris include Philippe
Gravier (with Sou Fujimoto’s spectacular solo show), Sobering, Perpitch & Bringand and In
camera, which join the contemporary galleries that are regulars at the fair such as Galerie
Lahumière, Nathalie Obadia, Daniel Templon, Paris-Beijing and Rabouan Moussion. There is
also a stronger contingent of modern art galleries with, for the first time, the participation
of Frans Jacob (Amsterdam), Michel Descours (Lyon), Martin du Louvre (Paris), Galerie Bert
(Paris), as well as the return of Die Galerie (Frankfurt).
Guest of honour: Africa – an exceptional in-depth focus:
Since 2012, Art Paris Art Fair has forged its reputation by exploring foreign art scenes that have
never, or are only rarely presented in France. In 2017, after Russia, China, South-East Asia and
South Korea, Art Paris Art Fair puts the spotlight on Africa. Under the leadership of cultural
consultant and independent exhibition curator, Marie-Ann Yemsi, the invitation of Africa as
guest of honour highlights a previously-unseen perspective of contemporary African artistic
horizons, as well as other visions of purely African or wider-ranging influences.
Spread across the different sections of the fair, around twenty galleries from South Africa,
Angola, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Senegal, Tunisia and Europe
showcase the talented emerging generation of artists from both the African continent itself
and its diaspora.
In addition to monographic exhibitions featuring Mohau Modisakeng, who will represent
South Africa at the next Venice Biennale (Whatiftheworld Gallery), Billie Zangewa (Afronova
Gallery) and Mario Macilau (Ed Cross Fine Art), visitors will have another chance to see the
large works on paper by Zimbabwe’s representative at the 56th Venice Biennale, Gareth
Nyandoro, (Tiwani Contemporary), repurposed objects by Romuald Hazoumé (October
Gallery) and the poetic installations of the Cameroonian artist Bili Bidjocka on the stand of
Afriart Gallery / l’Agence à Paris.
On top of the galleries that are part of the focus, around ten western galleries have chosen
to show the work of their African artists, in particular the Senegalese artist Omar Ba (Galerie
Daniel Templon), South African Kendell Geers (ADN Galeria), and the artists represented by
Magnin-A (Omar Victor Diop, Chéri Samba and Bodys Isek Kingelez...). In total, almost 70
artists will be presented by the participating galleries.
A very complete events programme will accompany our exploration of this continent in a
state of artistic effervescence:
A selection of videos entitled Les territoires du corps will be screened at the Grand Palais.
These films explore the work of artists for whom the body is both the subject of their
questioning and the means of expression of their art.
La Colonie is “a new space designed to encourage free and independent thinking” created
by the artist Kader Attia. It will host a day of conferences and meetings that will bring
together key cultural figures who are committed to the promotion of artists from Africa and
members of the African diaspora.
The VIP programme A Paris au printemps invites professionals and guest collectors to make
the most of an ‘African spring’ in the museums of Paris. As part of its festival 100% Afriques,
La Villette will showcase every aspect of contemporary African creation and put on an
exhibition, Afriques Capitales, curated by Simon Njami. In collaboration with Hans Lemmen,
an exhibition at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature will feature South African artist
Roger Ballen, whereas the Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac will be exploring L’Afrique
des routes. The Musée Dapper has lent its walls to the Senegalese artist Soly Cissé, whereas
the Galerie des Galeries hosts Le jour qui vient, an exhibition curated by Marie-Ann Yemsi,
which promises an encounter with a whole new generation of African artists and echoes the
fair’s special focus.
Promises: a new prize to support emerging creative talents
The Promises section showcases twelve promising galleries established less than six years
ago. The 2017 selection is entirely international with galleries from Abidjan, Amsterdam,
Bogota, Bratislava, Geneva, Lagos, London, Luanda and Rome.
New for 2017, Art Paris Art Fair, in partnership with The Fine Art Collective, is launching the
L’art est vivant prize that will honour an artist whose work is presented at Promises.
The 2017 selection includes: 50 Golborne (London), Anna Marra Contemporanea (Rome), Art Twenty
One (Lagos), La Balsa Arte (Bogota), Rutger Brandt Gallery (Amsterdam), Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
(Abidjan), ELA - Espaço Arte Luanda (Luanda), Espace L (Geneva), The Ravestijn Gallery (Amsterdam),
Soda Gallery (Bratislava), Tiwani Contemporary (London) and Tyburn Gallery (London).
L’art est vivant is a collective of enthusiasts and collectors who are passionate about the
emerging contemporary art scene. They find motivation in cultural actions that serve the
general interest, i.e. supporting creativity, accompanying the artist in the production stage
and contributing to developing awareness of the work of budding artists, or those who are
in the process of achieving public and institutional recognition.
Solo Show: monographic exhibitions by contemporary and up-andcoming artists
Some twenty solo shows dotted around the fair will allow visitors to discover or rediscover in
detail the work of contemporary and up-and-coming artists: Eduardo Arroyo (Galeria Alvaro
Alcazar, Madrid) - Hicham Benohoud (Loft Art Gallery, Casablanca)* - Marcel Berlanger
(Galerie Nicolas Silin, Paris) - Marion Boehm (ARTCO Gallery, Aachen)* - Sou Fujimoto
(Galerie Philippe Gravier, Paris) - Kendell Geers (ADN Galeria, Barcelona)* - Thomas Henriot
(Galerie Christophe Tailleur, Strasbourg) - Richard Hunt (Martin du Louvre, Paris) - Hoon
Kwak (Phosphorus & Carbon, Daegu, Ulleung-gun) - Mohamed Lekleti (Dupré & Dupré
Gallery, Béziers)* - Mario Macilau (Ed Cross Fine Art, London)* - Tsuyoshi Maekawa (Artisyou,
Paris) - Ramuntcho Matta (Salamatina Gallery, New York) - Najia Mehadji* (Galerie Claude
Lemand, Paris) - Julian Mereuta (Allegra Nomad Gallery, Bucarest) - Mohau Modisakeng
(Whatiftheworld, Cape Town / Johannesburg)* - Ugo Schildge (Perpitch & Bringand, Paris) Edouard Wolton (Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire, Paris) - Gao Xingjian (Galerie Claude Bernard,
Paris) - Billie Zangewa (Afronova Gallery, Johannesburg)*
* African artists
Solo Show goes on the road with Bus Expo
From 20th March to 20th April 2017, Bus Expo presents a travelling exhibition in partnership
with Le Bus Direct Paris Aéroport. The objective of this initiative is to provide a more
widespread access to art by bringing art to the general public. Bus Expo is teaming up with
Art Paris Art Fair to put the works of five artists selected from amongst this edition’s solo
shows under the spotlight.
Solo Show is sponsored by Barneby’s and Bus Expo, Le-Bus Direct Paris Aéroport.
Practical Information:
Vernissage (by invitation): Wednesday 29th March from 6 pm to 10 pm
Opening times:
Thursday 30th March from 11.30 am to 8 pm
Friday 31st March from 11.30 am to 9 pm
Saturday 1st April from 11.30 am to 8 pm
Sunday 2nd April from 11.30 am to 7 pm
The Art Paris Art Fair team:
General Management: Julien & Valentine Lecêtre
Fair Director: Guillaume Piens
Communication and Partnerships Director: Catherine Vauselle
Press Agency:
Heymann, Renoult Associées | Sarah Heymann
Eléonore Grau, [email protected]
Italian press: Eleonora Alzetta, [email protected]
English and Spanish-speaking press: Julie Oviedo, [email protected]
German press: Bettina Bauerfeind, [email protected]
+33 1 44 61 76 76 | www.heymann-renoult.com
List of participating galleries
Modern + Contemporary Art 1,242 South-East (Black River)* | Galerie 3032 (Paris)* | 313
Art Project (Seoul) | 50 Golborne (London) | Galerie 8+4 (Paris) | Galeria Alvaro Alcázar
(Madrid)* | ARTCO Gallery (Aachen)* | A. Galerie (Paris) | A2Z Art Gallery (Paris) | ABC-ARTE
(Genoa) | AD Galerie (Montpellier) | ADN Galería (Barcelona)* | Afriart Gallery (Kampala)*|
AFRONOVA Gallery (Johannesburg)* | L’Agence à Paris (Paris) | Galerie ALB - Anouk Le
Bourdiec (Paris) | Allegra Nomad Gallery (Bucharest) | Galeria Miquel Alzueta (Barcelona) |
Galerie Andres Thalmann (Zurich) | Anna Marra Contemporanea (Rome)* | Archiraar Gallery
(Brussels) | Art to Be Gallery (Lille) | Art Twenty One (Lagos)* | ART’LOFT, Lee-Bauwens
Gallery (Brussels) | Artelli Gallery (Antwerp)* | Artisyou (Paris)* | Galerie Arts d’Australie •
Stéphane Jacob (Paris) | Galerie Atiss (Dakar)* | Bildhalle (Zurich) | Galerie Bert (Paris)* |
Galerie Cédric Bacqueville (Lille) | La Balsa Arte (Bogota) | Galerie Claude Bernard (Paris)
| Galerie Berthéas les Tournesols (Saint Etienne)* | Galerie Binome (Paris) | Bogéna Galerie
(Saint-Paul-de-Vence) | Rutger Brandt Gallery (Amsterdam) | Galerie Cécile Fakhoury
(Abidjan)* | Galerie Charlot (Paris) | Galerie Christophe Tailleur (Strasbourg)* | Galerie
D.X (Bordeaux) | Galerie Michel Descours (Lyon)* | DIE Galerie (Frankfurt)* | Fondation
Donwahi (Abidjan)* | Dupré & Dupré Gallery (Beziers)* | Ed Cross Fine Art (London)* | ELA
- Espaço Luanda Arte (Luanda) *| ELMARSA Gallery (Dubaï, Tunis)* | Espace L (Geneva)
| Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire (Paris) | Flatland Gallery (Amsterdam)* | Galerie Franzis
Engels (Amsterdam)* | Gallery Tableau (Seoul)* | Galerie Pascal Gabert (Paris) | Galeria
Cortina (Barcelona)* | Galerie Liusa Wang (Paris)* | Perpitch & Bringand (Paris)* | Gimpel
& Müller (Paris) | GNF Gallery (Brussels)* | Galerie Philippe Gravier (Paris)* | Galerie Thessa
Herold (Paris) | Galerie Ernst Hilger (Vienna) | Hamburg Kennedy Photographs (New York)* |
Huberty & Breyne Gallery (Brussels) | In Camera (Paris)* | Frans Jacobs Fine Art (Hilversum)*
| Kálmán Makláry Fine Arts (Budapest) | Galerie Koralewski (Paris) | Lise Braun Collection
(Colmar)* | LN Edition (Paris)* | Galerie La Forest Divonne (Paris) | Galerie La Ligne (Zurich)
| Galerie Lahumière (Paris) | Galerie Alexis Lartigue (Paris) | Baudoin Lebon (Paris) | Galerie
Claude Lemand (Paris) | Galerie Françoise Livinec (Paris) | Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca)*
| Galerie Maria Lund (Paris) | Magnin-A (Paris) | Galerie MAM (Douala)* | Martin du Louvre
(Paris)* | Mo J Gallery (Busan)* | Montoro12 Contemporary Art (Rome)* | Galerie Lélia
Mordoch (Paris) | Galerie NeC nilsson et chiglien (Paris) | Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris,
Brussels) | October Gallery (London)* | Omenka Gallery (Lagos)* | ON/gallery (Beijing) |
Galerie Paris-Beijing (Paris) | Galerie des petits carreaux (Saint Briac sur Mer) | Phosphorus
& Carbon (Daegu)* | Guy Pieters Gallery (Knokke-Heist)* | Progettoarte elm (Milan) | The
Ravestijn Gallery (Amsterdam)* | Galerie Rabouan Moussion (Paris) | Rebecca Hossack Art
Gallery (London) | J. P. Ritsch-Fisch Galerie (Strasbourg) | Galerie Sobering (Paris)* | SODA
gallery (Bratislava)* | Salamatina Gallery (New York) | Alexandre Skinas Gallery (Athens) |
Galerie Véronique Smagghe (Paris) |Galerie Nicolas Silin (Paris)* | Speerstra Gallery (Bursins)
| Galerie Taménaga (Paris) | Galerie Tanit (Beirut) | Galerie Daniel Templon (Paris, Brussels) |
Tiwani Contemporary (London)* | Galerie Patrice Trigano (Paris) | Tyburn Gallery (London)*
| Galerie Vallois (Paris) | Galerie Pascal Vanhoecke (Cachan - Paris) | Galerie Wagner (Le
Touquet) | Galerie Olivier Waltman (Paris) | WHATIFTHEWORLD (Cape town)* | White Space
Gallery (London) | Wild Project Gallery (Luxembourg) | Galerie Esther Woerdehoff (Paris)*
*new participants