Paris+ par Art Basel
Paris, France, 18-22 October
This October, Art Basel’s newest fair, Paris+, will move across the Seine to the handsome glass-domed Grand Palais, which will see its four-year renovation completed by the summer. The new venue will allow the fair to increase the size of stands and bump up exhibitor numbers by around 25 per cent, having staged its first two editions at a reduced size in the temporary Grand Palais Éphémère. The director of Paris+, Clément Delépine, who formerly led the Paris Internationale fair, which focuses on the emerging sector, has said that young galleries will be its “centre of gravity”.
Since its surprise arrival—ousting the longstanding Fiac from its October slot—Paris+ has cemented its place as a regular stop on the busy art fair circuit. This has been aided by the pull of the Art Basel brand and using the city of lights as its glittering backdrop. Art Basel will continue to collaborate with other industries, such as fashion, to keep VIP collectors engaged beyond the fair halls. And that includes sport, as Paris is hosting the Olympics and Paralympics. Details on collaborations between Art Basel and the Olympics are still under wraps, but judging by the fair brand’s competitive approach to its rivals, we can bet it is going for gold.
Courtesy Zona Maco
Zona Maco
Mexico City, Mexico, 7-11 February
Zona Maco, the largest art fair in Latin America, will mark its 20th anniversary in the sprawling Centro Citibanamex convention centre. Along with the main presentation of international galleries, the fair has designated special zones to highlight Modern art, artists from or associated with the Global South and works that explore the relationship between pleasure and politics. Last year, Zona Maco welcomed more than 200 exhibitors from 29 countries, but with more than half of the galleries in 2024’s edition hailing from Mexico, the fair’s success is a testament to the strength of the country’s vibrant art and culture.
Work by Gary Simmons at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Photo: Ricardo Adame
Expo Chicago
Chicago, US, 11-14 April
Having celebrated its tenth birthday last year, Expo Chicago will in 2024 stage its first iteration since being acquired by Frieze, the London-based art giant. Typifying its growth, the exposition last year brought 170 galleries and more than 32,000 attendees to the Windy City. Expo Chicago has been a long-term leader among the dwindling ranks of large-scale independent art fairs in the US, and its exhibitors and attendees are waiting to see what changes new ownership will bring to the traditionally no-frills event. When the acquisition was announced, Expo Chicago’s president and director, Tony Karman, said in a statement that the fair would capitalise on Frieze’s global reach to strengthen its own impact.