Alexia Fabre becomes first female director of Paris's 400-year-old École des Beaux-Arts

Alexia Fabre has been appointed director of École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, marking the first time a woman leads the institution in its four-century history. She succeeds Jean de Loisy, whose term concluded in January. Fabre previously served as chief curator at MAC VAL, a contemporary art museum in Vitry-sur-Seine, where she oversaw its conception and construction from 1998 until its 2005 opening. Her tenure at MAC VAL included building a collection with a focus on women artists and organizing exhibitions featuring figures like Christian Boltanski, Esther Ferrer, Nil Yalter, and Jesper Just. Fabre's career began at the departmental museum in Gap after studies at École du Louvre and the National Heritage Institute. She has also taught at École du Louvre from 2007 to 2012 and curated events such as Paris's Nuit Blanche and the 2015 Manif D’art 8 – Québec City Biennial. The school has faced criticism over sexual, moral, and racial harassment allegations, leading to Jean-Marc Bustamante's early departure in 2018. Under De Loisy, reforms included faculty changes and a counseling unit for student complaints. Fabre's appointment has been celebrated, with Le Monde highlighting it as a historic moment for gender diversity at the institution.