On this first day of deconfinement, it is a new blow for the art world which sees darkening the return to September with the cancellation of the Paris Biennale. And that does not bode well for the other shows that should follow. Starting with Art Basel, the great mass of modern and contemporary art, already postponed from June to September in the Swiss city ...
After the postponements and cancellations in cascade of the drawing room, Drawing now, Art Paris or Art Brussels, the Biennale Paris in September was announced as one of the first shows of the cultural recovery and was to serve as a test for the market art. Its 32nd edition, which was to be held from September 13 to 17 at the Grand Palais, has been postponed to dates to be determined in September 2021. The decision fell this morning like a knife that makes the future even more opaque, but was applauded at the conference. unanimity.
Too optimistic and above all dangerous
" Today we formalized the decision that had been imposed for a few days, in view of the uncertain health situation linked to the Covid-19 pandemic ," explains a big heart, its new president Georges de Jonckheere. But you have to be realistic. Since the Tefaf Maastricht where there have been many cases of Covid-19, which has created controversy, opinions have matured over time. It seems too optimistic and above all dangerous to organize a fair under current conditions, he continues. And three and a half months before the opening, too many costs were going to be incurred for exhibitors and partners . Everything had to be stopped. I gathered the council which gave me the full powers to carry out this new project of Biennale and the members voted unanimously the cancellation ” .
The 32nd edition of the Biennale Paris which was to be held from September 13 to 17 at the Grand Palais is postponed to dates to be determined in September 2021. François BOUCHON / Le Figaro
After his election to the presidency of the Biennale Paris, this specialist in Flemish painting, pillar of the Tefaf Maastricht and the Biennale of antiquarians at the time of his splendor, had taken on his mission. First to admit that the demonstration “ had reached bottom, ” since the resounding resignation in 2015 of Christian Deydier from the National Antiquaries Union (SNA), he had “ the firm intention of making it rise from the ashes”. As soon as he had full powers, he immediately carried out a complete overhaul of the Biennale, notably changing all of its operators, with the exception of the Dutch agency Stabilo for scenography.
At the Tefaf Maastricht in early March, when no one had yet realized that the pandemic was going to bring the world to a halt and even harder still that of culture, this dynamic and charismatic merchant was more than confident. He wanted to make the Biennale an event at the height of Paris, by persuading the biggest merchants to return. “ I think I have achieved this by recreating a supportive, friendly base, to make a Biennale of international dimension e. It was no longer just a mercantile adventure but a common ambition of professionals who love our capital and want to defend their place with a real vision, ” explains Georges de Jonckheere.
Everything stopped dead when the project for a new Biennale was already well advanced. The locations were starting to be distributed, including 14 among the 16 exchanges constituting the strategic heart of an event like this one. The contracts were ready to be sent. However, exhibitors were given the possibility of not paying a deposit to avoid complications from reimbursements which could lead to conflicts, as is the case with Art Paris postponed and then definitively canceled.
The Paris Biennale, jointly with the National Antiquaries Syndicate, had in fact implemented a series of exceptional measures for merchants for its 2020 edition, to best protect their interests. A press release had been sent to them in this sense, from April 1: " Taking into account the difficult health, economic and social context, La Biennale Paris offers exhibitors who wish to stagger the payment of their participation fees over four months after the fair is over; as well as to exempt all merchants from the treasury efforts usually requested upstream of La Biennale. In order to finance this measure, La Biennale Paris will rely on the State guarantee scheme for loans granted to companies affected by the COVID-19 crisis ”.
In 2021, the Biennale will be held at the Champs de Mars
For the time being, Georges de Jonckheere is not giving up and continues to think about revamping the Biennale. " I regret that it does not take place this year, but suddenly it gives us the opportunity to convince another half a dozen very large galleries to come in 2021. I want to complete the list of specialists recognized by people of the same quality, ”he observes.
According to the latter, many merchants have already confirmed their desire to participate in its 32nd edition including Ariadne Galleries (New-York, London), la Béraudière (Brussels, Geneva), Brun Fine Art (Milan, London), Didier Claes (Brussels), Colnaghi (London, Madrid, New York), Galerie Yves Gastou (Paris), Jacques Lacoste (Paris), Laffanour - Galerie Downtown (Paris). Or Yves Macaux (Brussels), kamel mennour (Paris, London); Mermoz (Paris), Neuse (Bremen), Lucas Ratton (Paris); Rosenberg & Co (New-York), Sarti (Paris) and Steinitz (Paris). Without forgetting the jewelers Boghossian (Geneva), Anna Hu (Taipei) and Vhernier (Milan).
See you in 2021 but this time it will no longer be under the glass roof of the Grand Palais, due to the work on the building over a period of four years. The Biennale will be held in the Grand Palais Ephémère, a structure designed by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, at the top of the Champs de Mars. To carry out his redesign of the event, Georges de Jonckheere had taken advice from outside personalities, such as the founder of Mazarine Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers or the president of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art Alain-Dominique Perrin. A rather young team made up of François Laffanour, Marella Rossi Mosseri, Pierre-Edouard de Souzy and Oscar Graf had joined him.
Without forgetting the insurance broker Cyril Karaoglan responsible for chairing the honorary committee of the Biennale and bringing personalities to the famous gala dinner supposed to regain its splendor of yesteryear, bringing back over 1,000 people. In 2021, the profits will go - as was planned for this 2020 edition - to the benefit of the "Bern mission" for heritage in danger. " It will be even better next year and it will leave even more time to rebuild a great Biennale " comments Stephane Bern. " We will choose with the committee, in due time, a cultural place related to the Biennale and its history" adds the host and journalist who had been chosen by the government to launch the heritage lotto.
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