FIAC crowds, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
FIAC closed today, Sunday October 21st, with dealers reporting strong sales and a collective sigh of relief that the proposed inclusion of artwork over €50,000 to France’s wealth tax had not passed.  The fair was, by all accounts, well-organized and exhibited an impressive program of young galleries alongside work by established blue-chip artists. This year the fair added exhibition space in the Salon d’Honneur, the newly-renovated upper floor of the historic Grand Palais.  In past years the fair has seen more European collectors, but this year dealers reported sales to many collectors from Asia, Russia and the Middle East as well. The fair was directed by Jennifer Flay.
Marc Quinn, The Origin of the World, 2012, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Salon d’Honneur, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
The Financial Times reported that Sadie Coles sold Sarah Lucas’s “Yes†(2012), a stuffed nylon female form with a rifle wedged between its legs, for £75,000 on the first day to a Middle Eastern collector. The paper also reported that Cheim & Read sold works to French collectors by artists Louise Bourgeois, Jack Pierson and Chantal Joffe.
Fairgoers at FIAC at the vernissage, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
The week held in store many peripheral activities and events, among them the inauguration of two new spaces outside of Paris by galleries Thaddeus Ropac and Gagosian.
The Palais de Tokyo also presented its new season, Imaginez l’imaginaire, and Les Dérives de l’imaginaire, the first since renovations which almost tripled the museum’s size. A new series of Modules was inaugurated, as well as solo shows by Fabrice Hyber, Markus Schinwald, Neil Beloufa, Damir Ocko and Ryan Gander.
The Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais opened a retrospective of Edward Hopper, organized in collaboration with the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, and in partnership with the Centre Pompidou, which itself opened a show of three major contemporary artists, Bertrand Lavier, Adel Abdessemed and Mircea Cantor.
The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris opened Roman Ondak and Bertille Bak, and The Maison Rouge Foundation Antoine de Galbert is exhibiting the private collection of Giuliana and Tommaso Setari; the Michael Werner collection is likewise on view at The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Impressionism and Fashion also opened  at The Musee d’Orsay.
Outside of Paris, The Centre Pompidou-Metz has installed 33 of Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawings from 1968 to 2007.
FIAC, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
Mac Adams, The  Bedroom, 1978 at GB Agency, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Gagosian’s booth at FIAC, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Jerome de Noirmont next to a Jeff Koons sculpture, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
The New York Times reported sales by the Tornabuoni Arte Gallery of work by Lucio Fontana, as well as Galleria Continua’s sale of a work by Ai Weiwei for €300,000.
Balice Hertling’s booth on opening night, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
Jeremy Deller, Sacrilege, photo by Marc Domage courtesy FIAC
Sculpture was installed in the Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin des Plantes and Place Vendôme, as in previous years; Jeremy Deller’s “Sacrilegeâ€, a stonehenge-esque bouncy castle work, was the main attraction on the Esplanade in front of Les Invalides.
Emmanuel Larrigue, Parce qu’il y a notre pouvoir qui ne l’est pas encore, 2012, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Aaron Curry, BBZ, 2012, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Berlinde de Bruckere, Romeu, 2010 at Hauser & Wirth’s booth, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
David Altmejd, Mirrored Wall Panel 2012 at Xavier Hufkens’ booth, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
A work by Giovanni Manfredini at at Galerie Henze & Ketterer, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Fairgoers at FIAC, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Louise Bourgeois sculptures at Cheim & Read, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Fairgoers at FIAC, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
David Zwirner’s booth, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Lara Favaretto, Defense d’Entrer, at Galleria Franco Noero, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Vedovi Gallery’s booth, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Gagosian’s booth on opening night, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
A fairgoer on opening night, photo by Tiphaine Popeso for Art Observed
Almine Rech’s booth on opening night, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
Fairgoers on opening night, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
Claire Fontaine at Galerie Neu Berlin’s booth, photo by We Want Contrast for Art Observed
Fairgoers at FIAC, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
Francesco Vezzoli  sculpture and fairgoers at FIAC, photo by Tiphaine Popesco for Art Observed
-V. Artzimovich
Links:
[FIAC]
The Financial Times: [“The Art Market: All astir in Paris“]
The New York Times: [“FIAC Art Fair Opens in Paris“]
The WSJ: [“France’s Contemporary View“]
[The Baer Faxt]
