With Paris+ by Art Basel at the Grand Palais, MCH Group is holding the fourth Art Basel event after the Basel edition and trade fairs in Miami and Hong Kong. At the beginning of the year, the selection of the successor to Paris+, formerly the International Fair for Contemporary Art (FIAC), triggered an earthquake in the art scene almost 50 years later.
According to the tender for the Réunion des musées nationalaux – Grand Palais (RMN-GP), MCH was required to commit for seven years. The total cost, excluding technical costs, is estimated to be 10.6 million Euros. MCH, which is in the red both in 2021 and in the first half of 2022, does not want to give detailed financial information. However, the company is optimistic about the future.
A total of 160 galleries are represented in Paris+. Among them was the Parisian gallery Lelong & Co, who had previously appeared at Fiac. According to MCH Managing Director Florian Faber, the number of applications received far exceeded the number of places available in the temporary Grand Palais. That’s why in 2024 the fair will take place in the renovated Grand Palais, which will offer even more space.
The question now is whether collectors will attend both Art Basel in June and Paris+, which will take place (tomorrow) Thursday through Sunday. For the director of Galerie Lelong, Art Basel will continue to be “the most important fair in the world”.
(SDA)