Art Paris will return to the Grand Palais from 9-12 April 2026, marking the 28th edition of the fair at the recently renovated landmark. Reopened following its most extensive restoration in over a century, the 77,000-square-meter building, transformed under the direction of Chatillon Architectes, now accommodates large-scale cultural events across its nave and balcony spaces. Bringing together approximately 165 galleries from around twenty countries, the fair is structured around two curatorial themes, language and reparation, presented within an updated spatial framework defined by improved circulation and expanded exhibition areas.
Originally constructed for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Grand Palais has undergone a comprehensive transformation aimed at restoring its original volumes while adapting the structure to contemporary use. The renovation reopens previously inaccessible areas, introduces new exhibition spaces, and improves visitor circulation throughout the building. Following the partial reopening of the Nave during the 2024 Paris Olympics, the full complex is now operational, allowing large-scale cultural events to engage with its renewed spatial configuration.
The curatorial program is organized around two main themes. Babel – Art and Language in France, curated by Loïc Le Gall, brings together 21 artists whose work addresses linguistic structures, systems of signs, and the relationship between text and image. The selection examines how meaning is constructed and communicated through visual and textual forms within contemporary French art. The second theme, Reparation, curated by Alexia Fabre, presents an international group of 20 artists whose work engages with processes of repair across material, historical, and symbolic dimensions. The section addresses issues such as memory, absence, and reconstruction, situating artistic practices within broader social and cultural contexts. The program also includes the Fonds d'art contemporain – Paris Collections exhibition, curated by Julie Gandini, which examines works from the municipal collection in relation to the theme of reparation, with a focus on artists who have historically been underrepresented in public institutions.
The distribution of exhibitors across the nave and upper levels aligns with the building's reorganized layout, reinforcing the relationship between exhibition design and architectural space. The Promesses sector, dedicated to galleries established within the past ten years, is located on the southern balconies and includes 27 exhibitors. The Solo Show presentations, distributed across the main exhibition areas, provide monographic displays of individual artists. The French Design Art Edition, situated on the northern balconies, focuses on contemporary design and decorative arts through a selection of limited-edition works.
In related news, La Biennale di Venezia has unveiled the renovated Central Pavilion at the Giardini della Biennale, following a comprehensive intervention carried out between December 2024 and March 2026. The renewed pavilion will host In Minor Keys, curated by Koyo Kouoh, for Biennale Arte 2026, opening from May 9 to November 22 and marking the first use of the updated spaces. Meanwhile, Eduardo Longo's Casa Bola in São Paulo is open to the public for the first time until May 31, 2026, as part of the ABERTO5 exhibition.
