Art Paris 2023: A Dull Affair of Safe Choices and Missed Opportunities

Art Paris 2023, held from 30 March to 2 April, marked its 25th edition but failed to impress. The fair's lineup was dominated by unremarkable figurative painting, street-art-derived works, and third-rate pieces by established artists, reflecting a conservative approach aimed at appealing to orthodox collector tastes. With 60% of galleries French and many others from Francophone Belgium and Switzerland, the fair catered to local collectors rather than international heavyweights. Notable exceptions included Majd Abdel Hamid's delicate embroideries at gb agency, referencing healing after Beirut's 2020 disasters; Kubra Khadem's unsettling paintings at Eric Mouchet; Peter Martensen's Covid-mask picnic scene at Maria Lund; and Apolonia Sokol's formidable portraits at Istanbul's The Pill gallery. However, overall, the fair felt dull and failed to showcase the vibrancy of Paris's contemporary art scene.