Art Basel Paris 2025: A Triumphant Second Edition

Art Basel Paris 2025 concluded its highly successful second edition at the iconic Grand Palais, welcoming over 73,000 visitors across VIP and public days from October 21 to 26. Featuring 206 leading international galleries from 41 countries—including 65 French exhibitors—the fair reported strong sales across all segments, with standout placements by Gerhard Richter, Amedeo Modigliani, Julie Mehretu, and Leiko Ikemura. Rediscoveries such as Marie Bracquemond and Lee ShinJa, alongside emerging talents like Yu Nishimura and Özgür Kar, highlighted the depth and diversity of the presentations amid Paris’s vibrant avant-garde energy.

Sector Highlights and Artistic Breadth

The fair spanned three core sectors—Galeries, Emergence, and Premise—bringing together historical masters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Meret Oppenheim, and Edgar Degas with canon-expanding figures including Hector Hyppolite, Ella Bergmann-Michel, and Dadamaino. Contemporary voices such as Latifa Echakhch, Otobong Nkanga, Ai Weiwei, and Xie Lei shared the stage with rising stars like Ash Love, Precious Okoyomon, and Monia Ben Hamouda.

More than 240 museums worldwide—from the Centre Pompidou and the Musée du Louvre to Tate, SFMOMA, and MoMA—sent representatives, underscoring the fair’s strong institutional engagement.

Notable presentations included Gagosian’s The Virgin and Christ Child, with Saints Elizabeth and John the Baptist (c. 1611–14) by Peter Paul Rubens, a prime example of blue-chip appeal.

Public Program and City Integration

The ambitious public program activated nine historic venues across Paris, creating a dynamic dialogue between art and the creative industries; Miu Miu returned as Official Partner for the second time. The “Oh La La!” rehanging initiative, led by fashion journalist Loïc Prigent, refreshed gallery presentations on Friday and Saturday.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, and First Lady Brigitte Macron attended the fair, underscoring its cultural significance.

Clément Delpine, Director of Art Basel Paris, remarked:“This second year at the Grand Palais felt like a homecoming… the connection to the city has never been stronger.”

Leadership Transition and Outlook

Art Basel appointed Karim Crippa as the new Director of Art Basel Paris, effective November 1, 2025, to further drive its growth in collaboration with partners such as the Ministry of Culture, Grand Palais Rmn, and the City of Paris.

The 2026 edition will take place from October 23 to 25. Galleries praised the vibrant atmosphere and strong sales momentum, reinforcing Paris’s position as a leading platform for modern and contemporary art.