For the 2024 edition of Art Basel Paris, a Public Program, free and open to all, will take over the French capital, featuring exhibitions, monumental installations, and a series of conferences and debates. Miu Miu, founded in 1993 by Miuccia Prada, is the Public Program Official Partner. Clément Delépine, director of Art Basel Paris, says: ‘Ambitious in scope and unprecedented in its nature, our partnership with Miu Miu also marks an important milestone in the show’s history, illustrating Art Basel Paris’s role as an organization that creates bridges and fosters fruitful exchanges between creative industries.’

The scope of the 2024 Public Program differs from previous editions. ‘This year, we’ve sought to give the galleries more freedom, avoiding constraining them within an overly rigid narrative framework,’ adds Delépine. As a result, the structure and content have been completely redesigned around 9 historical locations across Paris, creating an urban itinerary animated by Modern and contemporary masterpieces, in constant dialogue with the fair at the Grand Palais. Five new venues will be added to this year’s program, reinforcing the connection between Art Basel Paris, the city, and its cultural heritage. The program is realized in close collaboration with the fair’s institutional partners, notably the City of Paris and its most prestigious institutions, such as the Musée du Louvre, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, the Petit Palais, Paris Musées, and the Palais d’Iéna, seat of France’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ESEC). Find out more about the venues and projects happening this year below.

Palais d’Iéna

The Palais d’Iéna, a masterpiece conceived by architect Auguste Perret and a Parisian symbol of modernism, with its concrete structure and neoclassical elegance, will present the special project ‘Tales & Tellers’. This extraordinary project is made possible by Miu Miu, the Public Program Official Partner.

‘Tales & Tellers’ is conceived by interdisciplinary artist Goshka Macuga and convened by Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of MACBA, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona. The special project will draw from two key creative ventures initiated by Miu Miu prestigious, bi-annual film commission Women's Tales, which since 2011 has invited female filmmakers such as Mati Diop, Miranda July, and Alice Rohrwacher to present their own view of vanity and femininity, as well as the videos taken from the artistic interventions from Miu Miu runway shows since Spring/Summer 2022 and time-based media works by artists such as Sophia Al-Maria, Cécile B. Evans, and Jeong Geum-hyung presented in the frame of the brand's runway shows since 2021. ‘Tales & Tellers’ will also include performances, and screenings of all commissioned short films, combined with a program of panel conversations bringing together the artists from the shows and the directors of Miu Miu's Women's Tales.

Petit Palais

The magnificent building located opposite the Grand Palais, also built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris, will host the installation ‘C’mon England’, by the 2023 Turner Prize-winner, Jesse Darling. This will be Art Basel’s first collaboration with the Petit Palais. The project is presented by Arcadia Missa, Chapter NY, Galerie Molitor, and Sultana. Le Petit Palais will also host the Conversations program, curated by Pierre-Alexandre Mateos and Charles Teyssou. The talks will explore themes such as the evolving gallery and museum landscape, emerging art trends in the non-Western and digital realms, and pioneering Queer art in early 20th-century Paris. The Premiere Artist Talk with Turkish-born, Paris-based artist, Nil Yalter, the recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2024 Venice Biennale, will inaugurate the series.

Avenue Winston Churchill

Avenue Winston Churchill, bordered by the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, forms a majestic axis connecting the Champs-Élysées to the Invalides, offering a stunning architectural and cultural vista of Paris. To enhance the flow between the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, the avenue will be pedestrianized and feature works by three iconic artists, in collaboration with the City of Paris.

Balmywisecrack (2010) by John Chamberlain, presented by Mnuchin Gallery, is a vibrant sculpture of colorful metal, blending chaos and harmony through its organic and industrial forms. Pumpkin (L) (2014) by Yayoi Kusama, presented by David Zwirner, is a gourd-shaped sculpture reflecting the artist’s fascination with repetitive patterns and the themes of infinity and childhood. Jean Prouvé’s Maison démontable 6x9 (1944), presented by Galerie Patrick Séguin, is a modular steel structure designed for easy transport and assembly, embodying Prouvé’s spirit of innovation and functionality.

Cour de l’Hôtel de la Marine

The Hôtel’s majestic inner courtyard is a new location for the Public Program this year, hosting Aeolian (1986) by Takis. The kinetic sculpture by the late Greek artist, harking back to ancient Greek Aeolian harps, is meant to be played by the wind. The project is presented by White Cube and realized in collaboration with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN).

Domaine National du Palais-Royal

The royal palace, initially destined for the former regents of the French crown, nowadays houses several shops and cafes, and various entities, including the French Ministry of Culture. The gardens of the Palais-Royal, a masterpiece of urban planning harmoniously integrated into the fabric of the city, will host a presentation of sculptures by a number of prestigious 20th-century and contemporary artists. This will be the first time Art Basel presents a project in this storied venue, in collaboration with the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN).

The presentation will feature the series ‘Paravent Girls’ (2021-2022) by Franco-Egyptian artist Ghada Amer, presented by Tina Kim Gallery, Marianne Boesky Gallery, and Goodman Gallery; Pouce (1965/1988) by French artist, César, presented by Almine Rech; Gold Rush (2006) by legendary British Land artist, Richard Long, presented by Sperone Westwater; Silver Stele (2015) by the German, Heinz Mack, who co-founded the pioneering Zero art movement in the late 1950s, presented by Beck & Eggeling; a group of five bronze sculptures by the Chilean, Roberto Matta, realized throughout the 1990s, and conceived as totems combining Matta’s interest in Incan, Mayan, and Etruscan culture, presented by Galleria d’Arte Maggiore; Tribute to Moondog (2024), a new sculpture by the German, Thomas Schütte, presented by Peter Freeman, Inc.; and a series of steel sculptures by Brazilian artist Amilcar de Castro, presented by Galeria Marilia Razuk.

Chapelle des Petits-Augustins des Beaux-Arts de Paris

The Chapelle des Petits-Augustins, located within the Beaux-Arts de Paris, is a historic space with impressive Gothic architecture. It was the first museum in France to open to the public in 1795. In 2024, it will host works by French sculptor Jean-Charles de Quillacq, presented by Marcelle Alix. The project, ‘A real boy (2024), examines the human body and brings together two series of sculptures as well as a video installation, creatinga dialog with the works permanently installed in the venue.

Parvis de l’Institut de France

Located opposite the Pont des Arts in Paris, the forecourt of the Institut de France offers a splendid view of the Seine and the Louvre. At the center of the courtyard, the public will be able to admire Le Grand Arbre Serpent (1988) by Niki de Saint Phalle. Presented by Galerie Mitterrand, realized in collaboration with the City of Paris, this monumental and iconic sculpture embodies the artist’s exploration of femininity and the joy of life.

Musée National Eugène-Delacroix

The Musée National Eugène-Delacroix, located in the artist’s former residence, presents an installation by Lebanese artist, Ali Cherri. This work explores the relationships between history, memory, and identity through the staging of archaeological objects within display cases. The project is presented by Almine Rech and realized in collaboration with Musée national Eugène-Delacroix and Musée du Louvre.

Hôtel de Sully

The Hôtel de Sully, located in the Marais – a historic district with charming streets, museums, boutiques, and vibrant culture – is a 17th-century mansion that now houses the Centre des Monuments Nationaux. As part of the Public Program, the Hôtel de Sully will present ‘Lynn Chadwick: Hypercycle. Chapter I: Scalene (1947–1962)’, an exhibition of major works by the late British sculptor Lynn Chadwick, known for his angular and abstract sculptures often depicting human figures or animals. This exhibition, curated by Matthieu Poirier, will be presented by Perrotin and the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN).

Credits and captions

Miu Miu is the Public Program Official Partner.

‘Tales & Tellers’ is part of Art Basel Paris’s Public Program and will be staged at the Palais d’Iéna, Paris. The project is open to the public from 16th -20th October 2024, with a preview on October 15th. For more information, please visit: miumiu.com. Online registration for exhibition guided tours and panel conversations will be available on miumiu.com from October 3.

Art Basel Paris will take place from October 18 until October 20, 2024. Learn more here.

Find out more about the Art Basel Paris 2024 Public program here.

Learn more about Conversations here.

Caption for header image: The Grand Palais, Paris, 2024. Photograph by Matthieu Croizier for Art Basel.