"We did not even think of us": art galleries want to open during confinement

The opening was scheduled for Tuesday.

The Salon du Dessin, in Paris, is an institution at the Bourse du Commerce.

Louis de Bayser, who heads it, knew full well that he would not stand, for the second year in a row because of the Covid-19.

But from there to seeing all the art galleries concerned closed, even beyond their stands, no.

"It's double the penalty," he sighs.

For many merchants, trade shows are a time to meet customers.

Our galleries therefore remained the last place to see each other.

But there ... It's a surprise that we are on the wrong list.

"

The right list is the one that allows booksellers, record stores, but also auction houses to remain open.

Like the Hôtel Drouot, which is always full, even if the gauges require queues both outside and at the entrance to the 16 rooms inside.

That Drouot is open, the gallery owners are delighted, but they do not understand their exclusion.

Like Sophie Marcellin, who runs a small “shop”, as she says in a passage near the auction room, devoted to traveling artists.

"Frankly, at home, when there are two visitors at the same time, it's the end of the world ... And it's terrible for us because our customers are those who go to Drouot, but who find our doors closed afterwards" , laments this pillar of the neighborhood, who feels forgotten.

READ ALSO>

Reopening of museums, performance halls… the avenues envisaged

" I understand.

We don't represent anything.

We didn't even think about us.

But I am clearly one of those threatened, in danger.

Between February 2019 and February 2021, my turnover was divided by ten, ”says this specialist in paintings, drawings and sculptures on the theme of travel and borders, from the 19th to the 20th century.

But these days, she's padlocked all alone in her gallery.

Help?

She had asked for it during the first confinement, “and it's better than nothing, but when you receive 1,500 euros per month and the rent is 2,500 euros… We imagine that gallery owners have money, but I am close to 100 euros, like a lot of people ”.

Treasurer of the Quartier Art Drouot association, Sophie Marcellin signed on March 20, with all the galleries in the district, an open letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture, requesting the reopening of the galleries, testifying to “the distress and the dangers that threaten our fragile establishments, their managers, their employees and the artists we defend ”.

"It's ubuesque"

The galleries, grouped together in the collective of the Salon du Dessin and Fine Arts Paris, have, for their part, also written to the Minister on Monday: “I therefore ask you hereby to kindly study the reopening of the galleries of art which play an important role in the transmission and cultural formation of their visitors.

As is already the case for our fellow auctioneers who had the authorization last Saturday to keep their auction rooms open, we sincerely hope that you will authorize the galleries to reopen their doors in the next few days ”, wrote to them. name Louis de Bayser, which represents about fifty brands in the capital.

Damien Dumarquez, from the La Nouvelle Athens gallery, which is part of this movement, points out that all these ancient art galleries, less publicized than those of contemporary art, "present a real offer which makes it possible to compensate for the closure of museums" , over the periods of the 18th and 19th centuries in particular.

They have never been taken by storm.

This gallery had just printed the catalog of its next exhibition which was finally canceled.

“It's ubiquitous,” laments the gallery owner, thinking of bookstores and auction houses.

Newsletter The list of our desires

Our favorites for fun and culture.

Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters

On the Ministry of Culture side, no official reaction.

It is explained that the auction rooms must remain open, in particular because there are family estates to be liquidated, legal acts which involve sales, etc. While art galleries are considered as non-essential businesses.

The famous "bad list".