Art Basel promises French focus for new Paris fair

[PARIS] Art Basel said on Thursday (Mar 24) that its new Paris fair would have a French team and be called "Paris + by Art Basel" as it seeks to ease tensions over replacing France's own fair.

The Parisian art world was shocked in January when it was announced that Art Basel, the world's biggest fair organiser, would replace the long-running FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain) this autumn.

The Swiss giant, part-owned by billionaire investor James Murdoch, already has fairs in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong under its own brand.

Its takeover reflects a recent boom in the French capital's standing as a centre for the arts thanks to the opening of major new museums, as well as dealers shifting away from Brexit-impacted London.

But local French galleries feared they would lose the guaranteed slots they had at FIAC.

Apparently keen to reassure locals, Art Basel said the new fair would have French management, led by Clement Delepine, who ran the Paris Internationale contemporary art fair, alongside a former head of Christie's France and a former deputy director of FIAC.

Its selection committee will include 10 galleries - 4 French and 4 international.

"I'm very confident. Many galleries who are the power behind fairs and were no longer coming to Paris, are once again interested in the city which has become a lot more dynamic," Art Basel global director Marc Spiegler told AFP.

Like FIAC, Paris + by Art Basel will be held at the Grand Palais near the Champs-Elysees in October. AFP