Paris is perhaps best known for its place in the history of Impressionism thanks to legendary artists like Monet, Renoir, Cézanne and van Gogh, but if one looks beyond the past, this city is thriving artistically in the present day. The idea that the art scene in Paris has remained the same for centuries is a myth. There’s no cultural stagnation here—the Ville Lumière’s rich history coexists with a dazzling future.
The city is home to many established and up-and-coming artists who are shaking things up in the contemporary world. And there are so many art fairs in Paris, from Salon du Dessin and Art Capital to art3F and the contemporary drawing fair Drawing Now Art Fair Paris, and of course, Art Basel Paris, formerly Paris+ par Art Basel. In 2023, the annual Art Paris fair received 350 applications for just 134 exhibitor spots.
SEE ALSO: A Mix of Emerging and Established Work Is Leading Phillips’ Summer Auctions in London
These days, the Marais district is where many renowned galleries have opted to set up shop while still being a known hub for young galleries tending to favor upcoming artists. The area symbolizes change, and savvy tourists are notably spending less time at the Louvre and more time looking at exceptional contemporary art exhibitions in this creative epicenter. In fact, the Marais district is giving tough competition to the main Parisian arts centers like the old-world 6th Arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés) or the wealthy 8th Arrondissement (Avenue Matignon).
After Brexit, an array of international art galleries opened up across Paris, helping launch the careers of a new wave of young artists. African art as well as Asian art is highly sought after in the city. Many art fairs in Paris also now cater to different tastes—one example being the upcoming MIRA art fair for Latin American art. For travelers, there’s no way to have the full Parisian experience when it comes to art in just one trip. Prioritizing the below Paris art galleries is one way to see some of the best contemporary artwork the city has to offer on a manageable timeline.
Paris’ Best Art Galleries
Perrotin Gallery
Located in an 18th-century mansion, the Hotel Particulier, in a super posh neighborhood, you’ll find this contemporary art gallery founded by Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris in the 1990s. With locations worldwide, including in Hong Kong, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Los Angeles, Perrotin has since become one of the most famous names in the art world. The gallery’s main focus is creating immersive settings to experience the work of leading contemporary artists. Perrotin Marais has a bookstore, called simply Perrotin Store, with a wide range of products—posters, books, limited editions—and prices. Its approach reflects the gallery’s mission: making art accessible to everyone. Recently, the first floor exhibition featured the work of Hernan Bas while the upper floor featured Klara Kristalova’s Beast.
Almine Rech
Laid out like a two-floor apartment, this modern and contemporary art gallery is known for its representation of minimal, perceptual and conceptual artists with spaces in Paris, Brussels, London, New York, Shanghai and the recently added Gstaad and Monaco locations. Since opening in 1997 with a distinct focus on both California Minimalism and Conceptual art, the gallery has been overt in its commitment to historical artists such as James Turrell, John Mccracken, Joël Shapiro and Jannis Kounellis and younger artists including Ziad Antar, Matthias Bitzer, Alex Israel, Taryn Simon, David Ostrowski and Erik Lindman. Almine Rech’s first North American exhibition space opened in 2016 in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, kicking off with an exhibition of the works of Picasso and Alexander Calder.
Galleria Continua
With other branches in Beijing, Rome, São Paulo and Dubai, this Paris art gallery occupies 800 square meters in a former Marais warehouse. Opened in 2021, the gallery offers more than art: there’s a delicatessen, gelateria and a cinema in addition to its bookstore, which attracts art enthusiasts of all stripes. Furthermore, a selection of foods from the gallery’s locations around the world (China, Cuba, Italy, Brazil, Arab Emirates) can be purchased at Galleria Continua—something that certainly sets it apart from other galleries in the city. In terms of art, it’s primarily focused on creative practices that cherish the link between past and future and are dedicated to experimentation. You can see works by contemporary talents like Michelangelo Pistoletto, Daniel Buren, Leandro Erlich, Kiki Smith, Arcangelo Sassolino and Anish Kapoor.
Fisheye Gallery
Located in the 10th Arrondissement, Fisheye is an art gallery in Paris exclusively dedicated to contemporary photography that was founded by the photography magazine of the same name in 2016. It offers an unparalleled program of emerging international photography and highlights the work of numerous creators from around the world, including Alisa Martynova, a rising star in documentary and fine art photography, and Ukrainian photojournalist Igor Chekachkov. In the past few years, the gallery has primarily organized mostly solo exhibitions, and among these, the artists featured included Annabelle Foucher, Chiron Duong and Almudena Romero.
Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois
This art gallery in Paris has a lengthy name to match its lengthy history. Opened in 1990 in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois has been promoting internationally renowned artists by allying contemporary art with New Realism for more than two decades. The gallery successively organized the first French solo shows of artists like Alain Bublex (in 1992), Paul McCarthy (in 1994) and Gilles Barbier (in 1995.) Here, one can find conceptual works by the likes of Turner Prize winner Keith Tyson, as well as veteran affichiste Jacques Villeglé. In 2023, the gallery opened a New York branch in a space at 1018 Madison Avenue, and its American arm is dedicated to promoting Nouveau Réalisme for a U.S. audience.
Hauser & Wirth
Hauser & Wirth, which has outposts around the world and has, as of late, dabbled in everything from books to hospitality, opened its gallery in Paris’ upscale 8th arrondissement late last year in a gorgeous neo-classical former mansion with its standout double-height, ground-floor viewing room. For its first Parisian show, the gallery presented an exhibition of works by Los Angeles artist Henry Taylor (who made the majority of works in the show while living in Paris). As Observer correspondent Sarah Moroz pointed out in a piece about the opening, the gallery’s choice of neighborhood was “notable for its proximity to Avenue Matignon, where galleries—like White Cube and Mariane Ibrahim—have proliferated in recent years.”