FIAC 2011 – A Triumph…

“FIAC 2011“…

“Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain”…

Opened this weekend… à Paris.

It is in its 38th year.

Two tickets were delivered at our doorstep… courtesy of the FIAC 2011 Press Office.

On a cold, icy, but sunny day, we donned our winter furs and were driven to the massive and gigantic structure of “Le Grand Palais“.

Upon entering the hallowed portals of this iconic institution, one is taken aback with its enormity…

A huge historic exhibition hall and museum complex… “juste à côté des Champs-Élysées”… in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris.

It has been described as a “monument dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French Art“.

Its purpose…

Exhibiting artistic events of the city of Paris.

It is awesome…

Impressive…

The “FIAC 2011” international art fair consisted of 168 galleries from 21 countries.

On show were the works of 2,800 artists…

FIAC includes contemporary as well as modern works of Art...

We noticed a Picasso, a Calder, a Matisse…

The “Foire” has been a success, rapidly building momentum…

Jennifer Flay, appointed Director in 2010, credits its success to the “Foire’s” move to the Grand Palais…

The pride and joy of Paris… an architectural “gem“…

We mingled and interacted among the “greats“… artists, dealers, invited guests, museum curators…

From Jay Joplin of London’s White Cube gallery… one of the most influential commercial galleries of the past decade, who exhibited Damien Hirst‘s “Where will it end” (1993), which was rumoured to have sold for $ 2.8 million on opening day… as well as Tracey Emin‘s intriguing “Insane Reflection” (2009). 

Sam Taylor-Wood‘s “Self Portrait Suspended I” (2004) was amazing…

To Anish Kapoor, “le magnifique sculpteur“, with his “Untitled” (2011) white round marble scupture, to Mircea Cantor‘s outstanding “Monument for the end of the world” (2006).

The “Foire Internationale d’Art Contemporain” experience was a momentous event of…

“Cultural effervescense“…

Acquiring Art is a process that is… an expensive but worthwhile addiction…

“Financial“…

“Emotional“…

New York‘s gallery presence was…

Strongly felt…

Powerfully displayed…

Michael Werner‘s gallery exhibiting William Kentridge‘s “Drawing for The Refusal of Time Prologue” (2011)… Van de Weghe exhibiting Richard Prince‘s “Anyone Can Find Me” (1990)…

Also represented was the legendary Gagosian Gallery… who has recently opened in Paris… exhibited Andy Warhol, among others.

The London galleries’ impact… was imaginative…

Eccentric… (Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Mona Hatoum, etc…).

Brilliant…

Berlin… Frankfurt…

Contemporary Fine Arts gallery exhibiting a magnificent, statuesque, and “amazonian” sculpture of a woman reclining (seemingly coming out of Fritz Lang‘s masterpiece “Metropolis“) by  Georg Herold…

Zurich‘s Hauser & Wirth exhibiting Thomas Houseago’s “Face In Movement I” (2011)…

Madrid…

All had beautifully displayed artworks… which were hugely admired and appreciated.

As well as Paris… which represented 32% of exhibitors… however, we would hope that the “city of light” and foremost art capital in the world… will have a more prominent presence in the future.

Kamel Mennour exhibiting Claude Lévêque and Tadashi Kawamata…

Galerie Jerome de Noirmont exhibiting Fabrice Hyber‘s “1/2 Dieux” (2011)…

Galerie Chantal Crousel exhibiting Wade Guyton‘s “untitled” (2011)…

A few hours…

Suspended in time… gloriously spent…

An artistic experience to be remembered…

Energetic…

Dynamic…

We look forward…

To the 2012 FIAC… with…

Excitement… exhilaration…

Great expectation…

And delight…

FIAC 2011… was…

Brilliant…

A TRIUMPH…

a.