The long-awaited Art Basel Paris 2024, which was held for the first time at the renovated Grand Palais from 18 to 20 October, was highly successful. The participation of 195 galleries representing 42 countries enabled the third edition of Art Basel Paris to enjoy record growth in participation, visitors and sales. Moving to the Grand Palais after three years of renovation was not only a landmark moment in the evolution of the fair but secured its status as one of the leading fairs globally.
Art Basel Paris 2024 turned into a melting pot of collectors, curators, art dealers, and all lovers of art, as 20th-century masterpieces as well as contemporary works were on display. A wide range of artistic languages, from Surrealism and Arte Povera to Post-War American Abstract Expressionism and the present day’s up-and-coming avant-garde, ensured the fair maintained its objective of providing a platform for both established and emerging as well as diverse and inclusive artists.
Historic Participation: 195 Galleries, a 27 percent increase
The current’s edition marked a recorded 27% increase in the number of participating galleries as compared to 2023, which was held at the ephemeral Grand Palais Éphémère. The return to the completely rebuilt Grand Palais not only added prestige to the fair but also encouraged a larger number of exhibitors as well as visitors from across the globe.
There were 65 galleries from France, thus making France the main country represented, intriguing the gallery of French art. The domestic galleries were received well by national and foreign buyers who appreciated the wide variety of works by modern artists such as Picasso and Joan Miró to contemporary greats such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Ai Weiwei.
As for well-known players in the art market, Art Basel Paris welcomed 53 new members to its team, which included both developing and prominent galleries. The new exhibitors, such as Barcelona’s Prats Nogueras Blanchard, provided an abundance of new and different works, including Ana Mendieta’s and Sonia Delaunay’s that had never been seen before.
Increasing International Sales and Collectors
The international nature of the Art Basel Paris was apparent from the multitude of places where visitors traveled to for the three-day event, including Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East. Days before the official opening of the fair, its halls attracted a large number of important collectors, institutional buyers, and many curatorial representatives from the Musée d’Orsay, The Louvre, and Centre Pompidou Paris, from such well-known international institutions as New York’s MoMA, Tate Modern in London, and M+ in Hong Kong.
This elite target audience’s sales were also indicative of their enthusiasm for the fair. According to Vedovi Gallery (Brussels), one of the most important translations, René Magritte’s Le Sourire Du Diable, created in 1965, was sold at a price in the range of seven figures. Likewise, an important Picasso piece was sold by the Montreal-based Landau Fine Art to a private collector. The interest in 20th-century art continued to be strong, as did the eagerness for such icon figures as Lucio Fontana and his Concetto Spaziale.
At the same time, the modern art world gained a fresh breath with younger galleries performing well. In the Emergence section, which aims to present fresh perspectives and new names, works by Shaun Motsi, Lou Fauroux, and Kenji Ide were bought by progressive collectors. This sector appealed not only to institutional investors but also to a new type of private collector who wishes to defend new talents.
Oh La La! Initiative: A New Way to Add Fun
Art Basel Paris 2024 was largely marked by the announcement of the Oh La La! initiative. It spanned 35 galleries, and this new and cheeky re-hanging of neglected and controversial pieces created a lot of buzz during the fair’s Friday and Saturday. There were also surreal, erotic sculptures, and shocking new pieces, such as those typical of the initiative, which was quite a welcome touch.
Other highlights were the Bye Bye Jeff (1998) erected by Air de Paris artist Bruno Pélassy, a sculpture of a phallus dedicating itself to porn actor Jeff Stryker. Another intriguing work was L’éveil du cosmos (2022) by Gaelle Choisne, where black and green olives caused the ceramic to be active over two days. Because of this rather playful style, a lot of people went back to the fair for a second or third time, and many even got bored of waiting to be able to attend it again because there was always something changing.
Marketing in New Directions: Broadening Artistic Horizons
Hôtels Art Basel Paris 2024 also introduced new sectors, most noteworthy being the Premise sector that enabled galleries to focus on one single project that was highly curated. Critical of the canon of art history, this sector of the market exposed more strange but even more fascinating works, providing a better understanding of the abstract movements that pervade the frenzied pages of installments. Notable for its remark on the content of rhythms were galleries like Pauline Pavec (Paris), who displayed the works of Juliette Roche, a portrait of early twentieth century Paris, in focus on other women and women at the margins of the art world.
Equally as important and new this year was the Art Basel Shop, a concept store that carried specially designed and limited edition products as well as collaborations with artists. The store, which was managed by Sarah Andelman, was a great combination of arts, design, fashion, and publishing. The most widely possessed collection pieces came from the artist collective called Claire Fontaine, which included clothes and accessories on the theme of “Who are the ‘foreigners’ today?” a topic now touching on the general art picture.
Involving the Audience: Free Education Activities Around Paris
In line with its vision of providing the art, Art Basel Paris did not disappoint the public audience, and in a bid to undertake their promotional engagements, the artistic events mediated by the Art Pari, the Basel Paris again launched the entire program of public events, and this one is once again free. With the sponsorship from Miu Miu, this program aimed to mitigate the boundaries of Fair to Grand Palais and further include the public with massive works of art around Paris in places like Place Vendome, Palais d’Iena, or the fixtures of Domaine national du Palais-Royal. The placement highlights of activities included Carts on Höller’s installation Giant Triple Mushroom (2024) at Place Vendôme and Niki de Saint Phalle’s magnificent L’Arbre-Serpents (1988) at Parvis de l’Institut de France.
Staging such exhibitions of this kind really brought art closer to the everyday life of the Parisians, and at the same time it illustrated the commitment of Art Basel to deepen the correspondence between the art and the city. It should be stressed that Art Basel Paris has added five new venues into this year’s program and thus keeps on augmenting its stature as a cultural catalyst focusing on the broad audience rather than conventional fairgoers.
Art Basel Paris 2024: What It Measured, How It Grew, And Its Consequences
The 2024 edition of Art Basel Paris is already viewed as a success, as it registered much higher levels of participation and impact on the market than any of its predecessors. It took place from October 18–20 at the Grand Palais, which has recently been restored, and the fair achieved a number of records on different scales confirming Paris’s status as the driving force of the global art market. Below is a detailed analysis of key metrics and their impact on the event and on the art market in general.
Participation & Growth
The Paris event has been hosted by 195 galleries from 42 countries. In terms of the number of galleries present, Art Basel Paris 2024 recorded an increase of 27% over the previous year. The tremendous growth in recent times speaks volumes of the fact that Paris is steadily establishing itself as an important destination for galleries based domestically and abroad. Of particular note is that 65 galleries came from France, strengthening the country’s presence and its close ties with the art scene.
Also, the mix of newcomers has never been better: 53 galleries were new to the fair. This is the largest number of new participants in this fair’s history. It enriched the artistic selection and made it more diverse, including works by Pablo Picasso and René Magritte, as well as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Ai Weiwei.
Visitor Statistics
Over a period of three days, the number of visitors to the exhibition was about 70,000, which is a noticeable growth in footstool traffic. The first two days set aside for VIP guests were attended by a substantial number of important collectors, buyers from institutions, and museum curators. The increase of these visitors is consistent with the fact that The Grand Palais remains an attractive exhibition space as well as Art Basel Paris is gaining in popularity throughout the world.
Also, the popularity of Art Basel Paris 2024 in the global arena was boosted by the fact that the target audience was not limited to galleries and high-net-worth collectors, as tourists and other lovers of art were incorporated into the mix, mainly due to the Oh La La! program that exposed unique and eclectic art pieces and works from 35 different galleries.
Sales Figures
The global economic outlook is beset by uncertainty; nonetheless, Art Basel Paris 2024 managed to post impressive sales figures across the different sectors. Galleries have reported significant deals with a number of private individuals and even corporate bodies buying some striking works of modern and contemporary art from them. Some of the major sales were:
Le Sourire du Diable (1965) by René Magritte sold for a seven-figure sum at Vedovi Gallery (Brussels).
Also selling for a significant amount was Lucio Fontana’s Concetto Spaziale (1960); a highlight who bought it was a prominent European collector, while other works purchased from Landau’s Fine Art (Montreal) had succeeded similarly.
Modern works also find a place in high priority. The Emergence sector, which emphasizes revolutionary artwork, experienced a huge demand, as works by Shaun Motsi, Lou Fauroux, and Kenji Ide were resold very quickly, mostly to eager private patrons interested in new faces.
World Influence
The world importance of Art Basel Paris 2024 up-to-now is showcased by its various booths and diverse clientele. Art buyers from potent markets like America, Great Britain, Germany, China, and the Middle East were specifically attending the event, including institutional buyers such as MoMA, Tate Modern, and M+ who made important purchases as well. The success of the fair emphasizes the growing significance of Paris in the world’s art economy, closing rivalry with traditional markets in New York and Basel.
The Paris Art World and Beyond’s cultural events and trends highlight
With a sense of finality, there are mixed emotions as Art Basel Paris 2024 finally comes to an end. There is joy on the faces of the organizers and the stakeholders of the event, as Paris has matched its high expectations and raised the standards of future art fairs. It has also been sadness for others who are now cut short of their expectations as Art Basel has raised the bar once again. The combination of Parisian flair with Basler creativity meant that everything a modern art fair should encompass and represent was present at the event. There were million-dollar pieces changing hands as well as new designs and ideas that were fresh to the industry being presented.
The anticipation of waiting for what comes next will only be worsened by the outcomes we’re expecting in the upcoming installments of the event in Miami and Hong Kong. But first, it goes back to Paris, and Art Basel is drawing closer to the point where it can improve on its excellence above all that has already been achieved. Interestingly, while we await the Art Berlin 2025 edition, chances are high that it will maintain the trend of dominating the global market even more.
Reactions from Prominent Figures at Art Basel Paris 2024
Xavier Hufkens (Brussels) described the atmosphere at Art Basel Paris as akin to the “Olympics of the art world,” with strong sales and a global audience of collectors.
Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers (Berlin, London, Los Angeles) praised the fair’s organization and the setting at the Grand Palais, noting strong sales to collectors from Europe, the U.S., and Asia.
Kamel Mennour (Paris) highlighted the fair’s “remarkable” success, with major sales occurring in the first few hours, signaling Paris’ renewed status as the world capital of art and culture.
Philippe Charpentier (Paris) noted a strong influx of international clients, with significant sales throughout the fair.
Guillaume Sultana (Paris) celebrated the fair as their best in terms of sales and encounters, noting the gallery’s win of the Fluxus Prize for British artist Jesse Darling.
Catinca Tabacaru (Bucharest) remarked on the incredible visibility the fair’s Emergence sector provided, leading to an acquisition of Xavier Robles de Medina’s work by a major museum.
Jack Shainman (New York) loved the fair’s energy and appreciated meeting new collectors, while also engaging with familiar American clients who enjoyed Paris.
Thaddaeus Ropac (Paris, London) described the event as the “strongest Paris fair to date” with high-quality works and major participation from American collectors.
Marc Payot (Hauser & Wirth) emphasized the fair’s atmosphere, its global significance, and their own strong sales, including works by Louise Bourgeois, Mark Bradford, and Ed Clark.
Nicolo Cardi (Milan, London) praised the fair for fostering sales of exceptional works, emphasizing its focus on serious collectors rather than speculative buyers.
Mathieu Paris (White Cube, London) noted early sales success, especially with Julie Mehretu’s painting, praising the vitality of Paris as a cultural and artistic hub.
Mohammed Hafiz (ATHR Gallery, Saudi Arabia) expressed pride in presenting Saudi and Middle Eastern artists at the fair, with notable sales of Mohamed Melehi’s works.
Pamela Echeverría (LABOR, Mexico City) declared Art Basel Paris their favorite fair globally, lauding the connections made with collectors and institutions.
Max Falkenstein (Gladstone Gallery) observed Paris’ rise as a critical moment on the art world calendar, emphasizing the strong institutional response to their historic works.
Emmanuel Di Donna (New York) reflected on the extraordinary success of their Surrealist presentation, attracting sophisticated collectors with energy sparked by Paris’ museum shows.
Ales Ortuzar (New York) was thrilled by their first Paris outing, with a sold-out booth and promising new conversations with European curators.
Rachel Lehmann (New York, London) highlighted strong sales to first-time buyers and appreciated the opportunity to introduce new artists to European audiences.
Wendy Olsoff (PPOW Gallery, New York) reported an active VIP engagement with numerous sales, downplaying media narratives of a market slowdown.
Matteo Consonni (Madragoa, Lisbon) was delighted with the Emergence sector, particularly with the award of the Lafayette Anticipations production grant for Steffani Jemison.
Jacqueline Tran (Matthew Marks Gallery, New York) felt energized by the week, connecting with both familiar and new collectors.
Jessica Silverman (San Francisco) observed positive responses to the artists in their exhibition, highlighting a strong European engagement.
Michel Rein (Paris) expressed optimism about the art scene in Paris, noting its ascendance as a leading cultural center in Europe and beyond.
Yasmine Berrada (Loft Art Gallery, Casablanca) celebrated their debut at Art Basel Paris, with notable sales reinforcing the global relevance of North African art.
Julius Woeste (Petrine, Paris) was pleased with placing works in prominent collections and connecting with international institutions.
Eva Presenhuber (Zurich, New York) highlighted the success of Tschabalala Self’s solo presentation, which quickly sold out to prestigious collections.
Alivia Zivich & Daniel Sperry (What Pipeline, Detroit) were thrilled with the reception of Bruno Zhu’s work, noting the excitement generated by the fair’s return to the Grand Palais.
Almine Rech (Paris) emphasized strong results from American, Asian, and European collectors, expressing satisfaction with the fair’s outcome.
Hyun-Sook Lee (Kukje Gallery, Seoul) noted the international interest in their Dansaekhwa artists, as well as contemporary Korean voices.
Jun Tirtadji (ROH Projects, Jakarta) reported a successful preview with works placed in new collections, seeing this as a promising start for future dialogues.
Marie Madec (sans titre, Paris) was proud of their artists’ visibility, especially with Agnes Scherer’s work becoming a highlight of the fair.
Frank Elbaz (Paris) expressed delight in refocusing on historical artists, noting significant commercial success with Kenjiro Okazaki.
Hervé Loevenbruck (Paris) praised the collective efforts of Parisian galleries and the city’s ability to host a successful event amid global challenges, noting that the art world “forgot the surrounding crises” for a moment.
Featured image courtesy: Art Basel
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