Must-See Art Guide: Paris

This week's guide includes Christian Boltanski, Karel Appel, and more.

After this weekend, the art world can take a (short) breather from art fairs. But until then, it’s going full swing, and now we’ve moved on to Paris. With over six fairs running concurrently in the City of Light and endless gallery shows opening or closing this week, it’s safe to say that it would be impossible to see it all. Do not fret, we have the must-see shows covered just for you.

It’s only been four days since the last highly anticipated fair closed in London, now just across the Channel two of Paris’ biggest fairs are opening today: FIAC and Art Élysées. Luckily for you, they are side-by-side in the historic Grand Palais and right on the Champs-Elysées, respectively. You’ll find all the heavy-hitters at the fairs, but if you prefer to take a little Parisian culture in while seeing art, we suggest you head out on foot and visit some galleries in person. Start by going to Mariam Goodman Gallery for its 20th anniversary of the space and the new work of one of France’s most influential living artists: Christian Boltanski’s “Faire-part.” This will be Boltanski’s first solo show in the city since 2010, and will take up the entire gallery with two immense installations that you will not want to miss. Also opening Thursday is Romanian artist Adrian Ghenie’s first solo show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, exhibiting ten new oil paintings in which the artist explores the subject of ‘self’ as his central theme in a fusion of abstraction and figuration. While you’re hopping around from gallery to gallery, you should also check out Galerie Perrotin’s two shows “Paulin, Paulin, Paulin” and “Fruits and Flowers.” Or, you can just skip it all and go straight to Musée d’Orsay for its controversial show, “Splendour and Misery,” where prostitution is the main topic at hand. Hey, why not—prostitutes have played an important role in art history too, and this is Paris, after all.

You’ve got a big weekend ahead of you.

Léopold Reutlinger, La Belle Otéro, from an album of photographs. Photo: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris.

Léopold Reutlinger, La Belle Otéro, from an album of photographs.
Photo: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris.

Exhibition: “Splendour and Misery
When: September 22, 2015–January 17, 2016
Where: Musée d’Orsay, 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris, France

Jitish Kallat, Infinitum (here after here) (2014). Courtesy of Galerie Daniel Templon.

Jitish Kallat, Infinitum (here after here) (2014). Courtesy of Galerie Daniel Templon.

Exhibition: “Jitish Kallat: The Infinite Episode
When: September 5—October 31, 2015
Where: Galerie Daniel Templon, 30 rue Beaubourg, Paris, France

Eugène Leroy Pour un corps de femme no.2 (1988). Courtesy of Galerie Nathalie Obadia.

Eugène Leroy, Pour un corps de femme no.2 (1988). Courtesy of Galerie Nathalie Obadia.

Exhibition: “Eugène Leroy: Peintures – Fusains” and “Rina Banerjee: Human Traffic”
When: September 5–October 31, 2015 and September 12–October 24, 2015
Where: Galerie Nathalie Obadia, 3 rue du Cloître Saint-Merri, Paris, France

Installation view. Courtesy of Galerie Kreo.

Installation view. Courtesy of Galerie Kreo.

Exhibition: “Signes des temps”
When: October 1–November 19, 2015
Where: Galerie Kreo, 31 rue Dauphine, Paris, France

Howard Hodgkin. Courtesy of Galerie Eric Dupont.

Howard Hodgkin. Courtesy of Galerie Eric Dupont.

Exhibition: “Howard Hodgkin”
When: October 10–November 14, 2015
Where: Galerie Eric Dupont, 138 rue du Temple, Paris, France

Claude Lévêque, Vies de singes (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Kamel Mennour.

Claude Lévêque, Vies de singes (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Kamel Mennour.

Exhibition: “Claude Lévêque”
When: October 17–December 5, 2015
Where: Galerie Kamel Mennour, 47 rue Saint-André des arts, Paris, France

Karel Appel, Mother and Child (1974). Photo: via artnet.com

Karel Appel, Mother and Child (1974).
Photo: via artnet.com

Exhibition: “Karel Appel
When: October 21, 2015–January 11, 2016
Where: Le Centre Pompidou, 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris, France

Adrian Ghenie, Lidless Eye (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac.

Adrian Ghenie, Lidless Eye (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac.

Exhibition: “Adrian Ghenie
When: October 22–November 21, 2015
Where: Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, 7 rue Debelleyme, Paris, France

Gernan Bas, Two Fruits (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Perrotin.

Hernan Bas, Two Fruits (2015). Courtesy of Galerie Perrotin.

Exhibition: “Paulin, Paulin, Paulin” and “Fruits and Flowers”
When: October 22–December 19, 2015
Where: Galerie Perrotin, 76 rue de Turenne, Paris, France

 

Christian Boltanski,  Les Saynetes comiques: Pleure, Rire (1974). Courtesy of Galerie Marian Goodman.

Christian Boltanski, Les Saynetes comiques: Pleure, Rire (1974). Courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery.

Exhibition: “Christian Boltanksi: Faire-part”
When: October 22–December 19, 2016
Where: Marian Goodman Gallery, 79 rue du Temple, Paris, France

Paolo Scheggi, Intersuperficie curva dal rosa (1967). Courtesy of Tornabuoni Art.

Paolo Scheggi, Intersuperficie curva dal rosa (1967). Courtesy of Tornabuoni Art.

Exhibition: “Paolo Scheggi”
When: October 23–December 22, 2015
Where: Tornabuoni Art, 16 avenue Matignon, Paris, France

Courtesy of Galerie Agnès Monplaisir.

Courtesy of Galerie Agnès Monplaisir.

Exhibition: “starz”
When: October 30–December 5, 2015
Where: Galerie Agnès Monplaisir, 1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, Paris, France