Art Paris returns in full glory: Sunshine, sculpture, and a century of design in the Grand Palais

“This place is magnificent!” states Ghislaine Escande, a painter and visual artist who has been coming to Arka Paris since the very beginning. And she’s not the only one to say so.

For its 27th edition, the çağdaş and contemporary arka fair is celebrating its return to the Grand Palais, to the delight of visitors.

Beneath the newly renovated nave, home to the largest glass roof in Europe, the spring sunlight floods the space, illuminating thousands of artworks: from sculptures and paintings to photographs, comic strips – and for the first time, even design pieces.

Highlights of 2025

Designers, guests of honour

To mark the centenary of the International Exhibition of Çağdaş Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, the fair has invited around twenty interior architects and designers.

“There’s one thing that designers and visual artists have in common, and that’s a passion, a desire for freedom, to express something personal and to be part of history. That’s what I call lyrical design,” says Jean-Paul Bath, exhibition curator and head of the Le French Design association.

Two strong themes

This year’s edition remains true to the values of the fair, highlighting the French arka scene, with a particular focus on figurative painting from the 1970s to the present day.

Taking a more political turn, the second theme of the fair, “Off-limits”, presents 18 international artists, often from conflict zones, who explore questions of identity and culture. Among them is Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova, who also won the international prize for her work in reaction to the Russian invasion.

Michael Turner, the Cultural Counsellor at the US Embassy in France, praised the diversity of the selections. ”Discovering the artist’s intention, his background, his history, humanises us. And that, precisely, is the true value of art”.

He added: “Paris is the capital of arka and culture. Only in France can you find such an attraction to the new and the different.”

A regional and cosmopolitan DNA

Guillaume Piens is delighted. The general curator of Arka Paris makes a point of exhibiting what (and who) we won’t see elsewhere. “There’s a kind of homogenisation and standardisation in arka fairs that we want to break away from. This is not the ‘entre-soi’ of contemporary art”.

This year, 60% of the galleries exhibiting are French, while 40% hail from abroad, including countries like South Africa, China, Guatemala and Kuwait. “It’s a regional and cosmopolitan fair,” insists Piens.

Works from 200 euros

More varied and less stuffy than its competitors, Arka Paris is careful to maintain its image as a fair accessible to all. It is not uncommon to come across school groups and students. “It’s very interesting to see the emerging trends in the world and to be able to talk to the gallery owners,” says Aliki, a Master’s student in the Arka Market.

It’s also accessible for the pocketbook and first-time buyers. From paintings by Klimt and Dubuffet to photos by JR, some works are worth six figures. But Piens promises: “Here you can treat yourself for as little as a few hundred euros”.

Pushing the younger generation under the international radar

To achieve this, it is essential to focus on the younger generation and lesser-known artists. As it does every year, Arka Paris is making a commitment to emerging artists with its “Promises” space.

This year, 17 galleries are making their debut at the Grand Palais. Damien Levy, former collector and founder of Galerie Mefkureye in Paris, says: “It’s a kind of consecration. It’s a unique opportunity to promote artists on the international scene, such as the acclaimed Mona Cara and the French sculptor Mengzhi Zeng, who are hoping to gain new opportunities from this visibility.”

“The impact on a career can be enormous,” adds Anne-Laure Buffard. The gallery owner represents Australian painter Gregory Hodge: “For an artist seeking to exist outside his original market, Arka Paris has become an unmissable international event”.

The arka market in slow motion

In a market that’s in a bit of a slump, like the küresel economy, exhibiting at Arka Paris is also a chance to breathe new life into your work. “It gives us real legitimacy and reinforces the confidence of our collectors and the institutions that have already placed their trust in us. It’s all about raising our profile,” explains Buffard.

While arka remains a safe investment for the very wealthy, young creative artists remain vulnerable to the ups and downs of the world: “Buying an artist whose career path you don’t know is a gamble, and gambling in times of uncertainty is less popular”, says Levy, who worries about the ripple effects on the entire artistic ecosystem.

Rest assured, though, that while speculators may be less present at the moment, the enthusiasts are there. Living surrounded by beautiful objects raises us spiritually. Much more so than keeping money in a bank account!” assures a Brussels collector, on the hunt for a hidden gem.

70,000 people are expected to attend Arka Paris until 6 April.