Paris Art Week 2018: Top and Flop Highlights

The 2018 Paris Art Week saw a mixed reception, with strong collateral fairs and museum shows contrasting with a lackluster FIAC. Among the top highlights, Paris Internationale impressed with its venue scouting in a pre-renovation hôtel particulier, and the Urban Art Fair's autumn spin-off offered curated solo shows. The Palais de Tokyo's Carte blanche exhibition featuring Tomás Saraceno was praised for its coherent practice, while the Musée d'Orsay's Picasso exhibition on the Blue and Rose periods successfully diverted contemporary art visitors. The Palais d'Iéna, designed by Auguste Perret, was a standout architectural discovery. On the flop side, FIAC confirmed a negative trend with safe choices, and its Hors les murs sculpture show at the Tuileries was equally weak. The Centre Pompidou disappointed with underwhelming Franz West and Cubism exhibitions, though Tadao Ando and Prix Duchamp shows were good. The gallery night was criticized for being too short, with calls for extended hours.