Art Basel Paris opens, closes two days early
A rainbow appeared over Paris on October 21, signaling the start of Art Basel Paris under the glass roof of the Grand Palais. The opening display set a vivid tone for the fifth edition of the event.
Early closure and public access
Organizers announced that the show will close on Friday, October 23, at 7 p.m., two days ahead of the scheduled October 25 finish. The decision, described as a precaution, limits public visits to a single day before the weekend’s new cultural program begins.
The shortened schedule affects museums, foundations, and even several metro lines, which will adjust operations for the weekend events. Visitors therefore have only one opportunity to explore the exhibition halls.
Scale and programming
The Grand Palais hosted more than 211 galleries from 41 countries, overseen by new director Karim Crippa. The show organized its offerings into three sectors: Galleries, Emergences for emerging artists, and Premise for historically rooted curatorial projects.
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In addition, an auditorium series titled “Conversations” featured artists, museum directors, curators and collectors discussing contemporary practice. The program aimed to support dialogue across generations and disciplines.
While the commercial side of the event is evident, several high-profile works attracted critical attention. Victoria Mirò presented Life by Yayoi Kusama across multiple stands, and Eva Presenhuber recreated a historic Parisian salon to showcase Silence, curated by Ugo Rondinone, highlighted by the striking “red black nun” piece.
Other notable presentations included Kaufmann Repetto with works by Adrian Paci and Nicolas Party, a forest installation by Eva Jospin at Galleria Continua, and paintings by Fabienne Verdier of Galleria Lelong. Raffaella Cortese displayed pieces by Marcello Maloberti, while Nahmad Contemporary focused on thirteen paintings by Jean Dubuffet, ranging from 1940 to 1980.
The appearance of a rare Amedeo Modigliani nude, “Nu étendu (Lolotte)”, showed the event’s ability to bring seldom-seen masterpieces to market. The 1917 painting re-entered the market with an estimated value exceeding $100 million.
Beyond the main venue, a city-wide program unfolded at locations including the Petit Palais, Palais d’Iéna, the Cité d’Architecture et du Patrimoine and Avenue Winston Churchill. These satellite events offered additional access to contemporary works and talks.
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Simultaneously, the 12th edition of Paris Internationale opened in a repurposed building along the Saint-Martin canal. Spanning 3,500 sqm over five floors, the free exhibition featured 56 exhibitors, a special “NEXT: KOREA GALLERIES” project, performances, and a temporary restaurant designed by the Banc Public studio.
Design also featured prominently, with THEME relocating to Faubourg Saint-Honoré for a new showcase that blended art, creativity and design. Italian gallery Paola Colombari highlighted limited editions and unique pieces by Ronald Scliar Sasson, alongside works honoring architect Carlo Mollino and photographs by Leo Matiz.
Another longstanding event, Asia Now, continued at the Monnaie de Paris. This year the fair introduced a Saudi Arabian pavilion, Villa Hegra, curated by Basmah Felemban and Gaël Charbau, featuring seven artists across generations.
Several exhibitions are on display in Paris, including Ibrahim Mahama’s Le Temps des Récoltes at the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain.
