Art Basel Paris Closes Two Days Early Due to Protests
The fair, which opened with VIP programming on October 20, was scheduled to run through October 25
Art Basel Paris organizers notified attendees on Thursday that this year’s edition would end early due to protests expected to take place throughout the city over the weekend. The fair, initially scheduled to run through Sunday, will now close at 7 p.m. on Friday.
“We deeply regret that we will not be able to welcome visitors this weekend, and we extend our sincere appreciation to our galleries, partners, visitors, and wider community around our fair,” said a message posted to the Art Basel website. “The safety of our visitors, exhibitors, and staff, together with the security of the artworks on display, are our highest priorities.”
The fifth edition of the fair, taking place inside the glass-domed Grand Palais, had kicked off with the invitation-only Avant-Première on Tuesday and strong sales in the VIP preview days that followed. Fair organizers had boosted security prior to the opening and said they were working with the Paris Police Prefecture.
“We deeply regret that we will not be able to welcome you over the weekend and recognize the disruption this may cause to your plans,” organizers wrote to expected attendees. “This decision has not been taken lightly, and the safety of everyone involved in the fair remains our utmost priority.”
France is experiencing its worst rioting in years as nationwide protests over education and living costs have spilled into major cities and beyond. Planned protests on Saturday prompted authorities to enforce localized curfews and a massive police presence.