Trends at Paris Art Basel 2024

Given the crisis environment deplored by art market players in recent months, the general trend in the choice of artists exhibited reflected a great deal of caution: indeed, many of the names presented were historic, sought-after and already well-established on the art market. There were few surprises from the medium-sized and large galleries, who exhibited their "blue chip" works, bringing together major contemporary artists and 20th-century masters.

An initial tour of the fair revealed works by Anish Kapoor at Continua, Olafur Eliasson with his Power Tower at Galerie Neugerriemschneider, Jean-Michel Othoniel at Perrotin and Korean gallery Kukje, and Daniel Buren at Cardi and Bortolami.

A sublime canvas by Miriam Cahn was presented by Galerie Meyer Riegger (Berlin, Karlsruhe), of considerable size (185 x 180 cm) and unequivocal power in its choice of subject. Sold for €182,000 on the very first day of the fair, its presence on the stand enabled the gallery to promote several other works by the artist (drawings on photographs and canvases), on view in reserve. The doors opened on a striking work by Miriam Cahn: an oil on canvas evoking a bloody childbirth scene, emblematic of her violent body of work. Galerie Jocelyn Wolff presented three charcoals on paper, powerful portraits that gave a foretaste of the "devoir-pleurer" exhibition dedicated to Miriam Cahn, taking place in Romainville.

There were a large number of paintings, sculptures and installations, with an emphasis on figurative art, which is gaining in importance with each passing year. Textile art was well represented, as were works in glass, easily catching the eye of visitors (Damien Hirst, Olafur Eliasson, Tarik Kiswanson, Anish Kapoor...). Photography, a little more discreet but still present despite the arrival of Paris Photo at the beginning of November, was illustrated by great names such as the German couple Bernd and Hilla Becher. The presence of monumental works was shy, but hardly disturbing given that the Basel fair has made them its specialty. As for video and digital art, largely absent from the Paris Art Basel fair, a rare example was to be found on the Exo Exo gallery stand, with video installations by emerging artist Lou Fauroux.

Nevertheless, some galleries have chosen to exhibit young artists, mainly with the aim of raising their profile and giving them international exposure. Such was the case with Edgard Sarin and Rayan Yasmineh, both graduates of the Beaux-Arts de Paris and exhibited by Private Choice several years earlier.

Echoing the historic exhibitions currently on view in Paris, the galleries infused their hangings with the names of modern artists from the currents of Pop Art, Arte Povera and Surrealism. At the October 17, 2024 launch of the "Pop Forever, Tom Wesselmann &..." exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, the Gagosian and Almine Rech galleries exhibited oils on canvas by Tom Wesselmann (sold at Almine Rech for $400,000 - $500,000).

The Arte Povera exhibition taking place at the Bourse du Commerce - Fondation Pinault this autumn/winter explained the presence on Peter Freeman's stand of works by Franz Erhard Walther and Charles LeDray. Works by Mario Merz and Giuseppe Penone were also on display at Konrad Fischer.

Finally, nods to the "Surrealism" exhibition at the Centre Pompidou to mark the centenary of André Breton's treatise were seen at Loevenbruck with a selection of several Surrealist works, including Hans Ballmer's doll, or on the Applicat-Prazan stand with works by Oscar Domínguez, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta and André Masson.

Julie Merle, October 24, 2024.

[i] Rafael Pic, "Art Basel Paris 2024: solid first sales", Le Quotidien de l'Art, no. 2915, October 17, 2024.