Home

Five Captivating Moments of Art Basel Paris

The celebrated contemporary art fair was nothing short of extraordinary—both inside the Grand Palais and beyond it.

Posted on
Hauser & Wirth led the fair's opening with a $23 million sale of Gerhard Richter's 1987 Abstraktes Bild. Courtesy of Art Basel Paris.

Following Frieze London, Art Basel arrived in Paris like a pulse. Inside the Grand Palais, sunlight spilled through the glass canopy, casting reflections that felt as much a part of the art as the works themselves. Now in its fourth edition, the fair has cemented its place as one of the world’s most influential gatherings, drawing artists, collectors, and dreamers alike. From ambitious installations to headline-making sales, Paris’ streets, gardens, and façades were animated by commissions and performances that blurred the line between exhibition and experience.

As the weekend drew to a close, five moments have stayed with us—each revealing something essential about what makes Art Basel Paris unlike anywhere else.

Gerhard Richter, Hauser & Wirth

Hauser & Wirth led the fair's opening with a $23 million sale of Gerhard Richter's 1987 Abstraktes Bild, where crimson, teal, and charcoal layers blend through his squeegee technique.  The booth's other highlights included a piece by Bruce Nauman that sold for $4.7 million, alongside works by Rashid Johnson and Firelei Báez.

Courtesy of the Arlene Shechet and Pace Gallery.

Arlene Shechet

Pace presented Dawn (2024), a large sculpture by American sculptor Arlene Shechet, installed on Avenue Winston Churchill between the Grand Palais and Petit Palais. The work, made of aluminum sheets painted in matte peach and glossy pink, resembled an opening flower.

Courtesy of ISSEY MIYAKE INC.

A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake x Eugene Kangawa 

TYPE-XIV, the latest collaboration between the contemporary painter and the Japanese fashion brand, explored a collection of photograms inspired by Kangawa's series Light and shadow inside me (2022-). The exhibition included guided tours by Kangawa and designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae, as well as hands-on workshops.

Photo Credit: Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.

Mariane Ibrahim Gallery

The gallery presented new works by painter and visual artist Amoako Boafo, who now incorporates embroidery into his large-scale portraits; abstract paintings by Carmen Neely; and compositions by Cairo-based painter Salah Elmur.

Courtesy of the Leiko Ikemura and Lisson Gallery.

Leiko Ikemura

Lisson Gallery presented Japanese-Swiss artist Leiko Ikemura's Usagi Greeting (440), 2023-2025, on the streets of Paris. The bronze sculpture depicts Usagi, a mythical creature with rabbit ears and a human face that appears throughout Ikemura's work. With its bell-shaped skirt like a protective shrine, the figure represents healing and the connection between human, animal, and cosmic realms.

Discover Paris

The Ultimate Collection The Impossible Collection of Art (2nd Edition)
Regular price
$1,200 USD
Best Seller
The Legends Collection Paris by Paris
Regular price
$250 USD
The Classics Collection Art Deco Style
Regular price
$120 USD

More from Culture Lounge

Podcast

Culture Lounge Podcast Episode V: ART with Judd Tully and Philippe Ségalot

The French art dealer and American art critic peel back the layers of the contemporary art world, where creativity and commerce collide.
Travel

Switzerland: A Journey for the Culturally Curious

Beyond popular spots like Gstaad and St. Moritz, Switzerland offers plenty of lesser-known places that are well worth exploring.

World of Assouline

Hints of Red and All That Glittered at Assouline's 30th Anniversary Soirée at Maxims-de-Paris

Guests danced the night away to the music of The Gipsy Kings and enjoyed a spectacular evening at the iconic Parisian venue.