Art Paris 2025: How Exceptional Curation at the Grand Palais Is Shaping Collecting Trends

Art Paris 2025: How Exceptional Curation at the Grand Palais Is Shaping Collecting Trends

The global art market pivots from Hong Kong to Paris this April, as Art Paris 2025 makes its triumphant return to the magnificent newly renovated Grand Palais from April 3-6. What distinguishes this edition is its exceptional curatorial vision – two powerful thematic frameworks that provide collectors with intellectual depth rarely seen at commercial fairs. With 170 carefully selected galleries representing a 25% increase from last year, this edition affirms Paris's resurgence as a destination where thoughtful collecting and curatorial excellence converge.

Collectors seeking art with lasting cultural resonance should prioritize the "Immortal" section curated by Amélie Adamo and Numa Hambursin. This meticulously organized presentation features 30 artists across generations who demonstrate figurative painting's enduring importance in France. Beyond typical fair commerce, this section invites collectors to engage with a richly contextualized artistic lineage. The accompanying scholarly catalog and panel discussions (April 5-6) provide invaluable historical and critical frameworks that inform thoughtful collecting decisions.

Equally important is Simon Lamunière's "Out of Bounds" section, which examines multicultural hybridism through the work of 18 international artists exploring themes of origin, gender, identity, and displacement. This curatorial focus reflects growing collector interest in work that addresses our increasingly interconnected world and questions of cultural belonging.

The "Promises" sector showcases some of the most exciting emerging talents in contemporary art. Felipe Rezende at Salon H stands out for his institutional recognition and innovative approach to politically-charged narratives. Other notable emerging artists include Israfil Ridhwan (Singaporean) at Cuturi Gallery, Killion Huang (Chinese) at EDJI Gallery with his thought-provoking installation on social media's performative nature, Luciano Goizueta (Costa Rican) at La Galería Rebelde, and Gillian Brett (French) at C+N Gallery Canepaneri, winner of the Prix Révélations Emerige - Villa Noailles in 2022 for her exploration of technology's environmental impact.

The unprecedented inclusion of the Fonds d'art contemporain – Paris Collections represents a curatorial high point rarely seen at commercial fairs. This public collection of over 23,000 works brings institutional context directly into the fair environment, with selections spanning from 1910 to 2023 that illuminate figurative painting's evolution while highlighting women artists' essential contributions since the early 20th century. This dialogue between private and public collecting models provides collectors with invaluable perspective on artistic significance beyond commercial considerations.

Continuing the fair's exceptional curatorial vision, the new "French Design Art Edition" celebrates the centenary of the landmark 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. This thoughtfully conceived section includes 18 designers and design-focused galleries, highlighted by a 130 m² group show curated by Jakob+MacFarlane exploring dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. For collectors interested in cross-category collecting, this section offers a historically grounded yet forward-looking perspective.

The 26 Solo Shows throughout the fair reflect careful curatorial selection rather than merely commercial promotion. Historical presentations include pioneering digital artist Vera Molnár at Oniris.Art, whose 1970s computer-generated works presciently anticipate contemporary digital practices. Contemporary highlights include Emma Talbot at Mucciaccia Gallery (winner of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women in 2020) and Loïc Le Groumellec at Galerie Françoise Livinec, whose enigmatic explorations of recurring motifs (crosses, menhirs, houses) demonstrate the depth possible in focused artistic inquiry.

For collectors who appreciate art fairs with intellectual depth and curatorial vision rather than merely commercial showcases, Art Paris 2025 represents an essential destination. To access our comprehensive fair guide and join a community of collectors who value curatorial context and artistic significance, consider joining Vitruvian's Art Collectors Club.

For practical details and tickets: https://www.artparis.com/en

Photo credit : Louvre Museum by Artūras Kokorevas