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| Jean Pierre Raynaud installation, photo by Holly |
From
June 3rd to the 8th, thirteen members of the Vancouver
Contemporary Art Society (CASV) will be exploring the contemporary art scene of
Paris. Paris has a brilliant and dynamic
contemporary art scene and it is my great pleasure to be able to share this
opportunity with my friends and fellow members.
My focus is to demonstrate the excellent level of quality and innovation
that is my experience with exhibitions in Paris though a diversity of forms
including collection visits, private exhibition tours and studio visits.
Highlights
of the tour will include a visit to the hippest and most experimental art
institution in Paris, the Palais de Tokyo, with a ‘behind the scenes’ preview
of their “in progress” art installation by Argentinian artist Eduardo Basualdo and
a chance to talk with the artist and curator about it. We will meet with the collectors associations Sam
Art Projects and ADIAF (Association for the International Diffusion of French
Art) who show tremendous support for the development and promotion of French
artists through initiatives such as the Duchamp Prize. The Duchamp Prize is France’s equivalent to
the U.K.’s Turner Prize, initiated and supported by ADIAF. At the recommendation of top art collectors,
we will experience studio visits with definitive French artists Jean Pierre
Raynaud, Jean-Michel Othoniel and Xavier Veilhan.
Parisian
galleries represent many of the world’s most important internationally renowned
artists. Emmanuel Perrotin, for example,
launched the career of art superstar Takashi Murakami, being the first to
exhibit Murakami’s work outside of Japan.
Perrotin, who will be one of our hosts, was named by British daily
newspaper, the Guardian, “One of the most powerful people in the art world.” He has successfully placed two of his artists
in collaboration with the Palace Versailles where their work was installed
throughout the palace grounds. The CASV
is fortunate to be visiting the studio of two of Perrotin’s artists, including
Xavier Veilhan who is one of very few contemporary artists to receive the very
rare privilege of exhibiting at Chateau Versailles. We are also most fortunate to be invited by Kamel
Mennour to experience his solo exhibition of Anish Kapoor, one of the world’s
most important artists of the moment.
Highlights
of private and public contemporary art collections include a trip to the
Champagne region for the “Pommery Experience” curated by the Director of FRAC
Champagne-Ardenne, Florence Derieux. The collection has been installed in the
champagne cellars or caves, which are actually limestone and chalk pits from
the 1800’s. This fusion of old and new
is something that is so definitive of French contemporary art and therefore an
integral part of our tour.
The
Pommery Experience reveals another definitive factor of the French art world – corporate
sponsorship. French luxury brands like
YSL, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and liquor distributors like Pommery, Ricard
and many others, have been integral in supporting the contemporary arts, often
through project and event sponsorship, corporate collections, and
collaborations. LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet
Hennessy) has invited the CASV to join them for cocktails in their private
exhibition space, Espace Culturel, overlooking the Champs Elysees, while
hearing about their current exhibition by L.A. artist and feminist, Andrea Bowers.
I
am thrilled to share these and other unique experiences of the brilliant art
world of Paris with members of the CASV!
- Holly Marie Armishaw
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| Lunar Asparagus by Patrick Laroche |
The tour has been organized by the volunteer efforts of Holly Marie Armishaw who will also lead the tour. Armishaw is a contemporary, Vancouver-based artist, and serves on the CASV Board of Directors. www.hollyarmishaw.com
The CASV gratefully acknowledge support from the following:
