Art Basel Paris Opens Under Heightened Security Following Civil Unrest

Organisers of Art Basel Paris have stepped up security around the Grand Palais following violent protests in the capital, Euronews reported on October 22. The fair brings together international contemporary artists and galleries for its public opening, which is scheduled from October 23 to October 25. [1]

According to Euronews, the fifth edition of the art fair features 211 galleries from 41 countries. Visitors are set to view works by artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Julian Schnabel, Matthew Wong, and Drake Carr, as well as an Emergence section that includes 16 solo booths for emerging practices, Euronews reported. [1]

Art Basel Paris is an annual event held every October in the Grand Palais, having first been established in 2022 as a satellite offshoot of the flagship Art Basel fair in Switzerland. As FTMQ News reported earlier, France has experienced weeks of severe social unrest, including violent riots in central Paris. [12][15][16]

The security measures coincide with broader official responses to the ongoing civil unrest in the capital. DW.com reported that French authorities have banned protests in parts of Paris, while Hyperallergic and The New York Times reported that the fair will end early because of the unrest. [4][8][9]