ART PARIS 28th edition

This year again, the Society of Friends of the Cernuschi Museum was invited to the Contemporary Art Fair, Art Paris, a spring event that has become essential, which took place from April 9 to 12 under the glass roofs of the Grand Palais.

The few "Friends" who were able to take advantage of this invitation were welcomed by Marc Donnadieu, commissioner of the Promises sector, who presented them with an overview of the 28th edition of the fair, which boasted 165 exhibitors from twenty countries. This year, two themes were highlighted: repairs, in its broadest sense, weaving links between past, present and future, aiming to recompose fragments and shards, to heal wounds, whether physical or symbolic; Babel – art and language in Francebringing together artists working on the richness of the sign, its enigma, its ambiguity and its multiplicity. The works, oscillating between abstraction and figuration, are an invitation to rethink our relationship to words and symbols.

The area Promises It hosted twenty-seven galleries less than ten years old (or even a few weeks old for some), almost half of which were foreign galleries, which, like the French ones, presented contemporary or emerging artists.

In the general sector, one could also find many foreign galleries. Some galleries exhibited artists as famous as Zao Wou-Ki, Ma Desheng, Bao Vuong, Jean Degottex, Hans Hartung, Aristide Maillo, Henri Matisse, etc., but also lesser-known artists.

Nguyên Duy Manh (born in 1984). Phách Lạc (Lost Spirits), Table No. 4. Hand-painted ceramic objects. Bao Gallery.

Zao Wou-Ki (1921-2013) The Orchid (circa 1986). Plate with printed decoration. Berès Gallery.

Kim En Joong (Born in 1940). Untitled (2014-2015). Earthenware vase. Berès Gallery.

The stand of the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres presented, among other things, porcelains made with a decoration, designed by Yang jiechang, in slight relief.

Yang Jiechang (born in 1956). Porcelain vases made from the artist's designs by the Sèvres Manufactory.

Mahalakshmi Kannappan (born in 1981). After Pressure 01. 2026. Charcoal, plaster on wood. Culturi Gallery.

Yoshimi Futamura (born in 1959). Wave (2026) and A Un 7 (2025). Stoneware and porcelain. Anne-Laure Buffard Gallery.

The stand of the Sèvres National Porcelain Manufactory featured, among other things, porcelain pieces decorated with a low-relief design by Yang Jiechang. This technique, which appeared in Sèvres as early as 1849, was gradually abandoned and finally disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century.^rd  century. Pâte-sur-pâte is a technique for creating decoration in low relief using liquid porcelain paste. The paste is spread with a brush and then applied to the unfired porcelain object. Hence the name “pâte-sur-pâte.” Both demanding and remarkable, this technique is once again being used in the workshops thanks to the collaboration between Yang Jiechang and the artisans of Sèvres, following a rediscovered ancient Chinese technique.

Shiraga Kazuo (1924-2008). Shikou. 2001. Gouache on cardboard. Berès Gallery.

Li Hongwei (born 1980). Dan #24. 2024. Porcelain and stainless steel. 3812 Gallery.

Bao Vuong (born 1978). The Crossing 33. 2021. Oil and acrylic on canvas. A2Z Gallery.

The patronage of Maison Ruinart showcased compositions by the Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata, in his series Destruction, explores the fragility of our habitats and evokes the alternating cycles of construction and destruction.

For the second time, the City of Paris was a partner and a stand was dedicated to Contemporary Art Fund – Paris CollectionsThe only public collection on display, comprising 23,500 works, it presented a selection from its collections that resonated with the figurative theme of repairs.

Tadashi Kawamata (born in 1953). Destruction No. 43. 2020. Wooden model, glue and paint. Maison Ruinart.

Chéri Samba (born in 1956). Self-portrait. 1988-1989. Oil on canvas. Contemporary Art Collection of the City of Paris.

The richness and variety of the program did not leave the public indifferent and we can only rejoice at 87,275 visitors (compared to 86,875 in 2025), while awaiting the 29th edition of this prestigious event.