Restons unis — Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: May 23 → August 14, 2020

From May 23rd to August 14th, Perrotin will invite 26 Paris-based galleries to present a selection of work from their artists. Debuting in our Saint-Claude space, the exhibition will be comprised of four consecutive two-week-long presentations, with each one inclusive of six to seven independent galleries.

This collaborative project evolved out a desire to celebrate the experience of seeing art in person and it also marks the re-opening of our Paris galleries, one that will be accompanied with the strict enforcement of safety guidelines. With most of our museums and fairs closed, we believe it’s important to fill that void. But, it is a modest proposal. Although it may not rectify the larger systemic issues of our industry, it does underline the importance of what we accomplish on a daily basis. Online viewing rooms will never replace exhibitions. However these presentations will also be sent to all our contacts digitally. In order to share the fertile world of these galleries and their artists with as many people as possible. We are spaces for the public to engage with artists and their practice. Galleries allow artists to meet their public, often for the first time. The tremendous creative experimentation by a growing number of artists is a testament to the work of many galleries.

Diversity is important and necessary, and twenty-six galleries are not enough to fully illustrate the depth and breadth of work being produced in our current moment. This list is necessarily imperfect, and although we would have loved for many more to join us, we believe that our partner galleries celebrate the richness of the Paris gallery landscape.

The French artistic scene boasts many heroic galleries, and you can find a list here, selected by the association Paris Gallery MAP. Today, it is made up of over 80 members. From July 2nd through July 5th, our Paris Gallery Weekend will bring together nearly 50 galleries, and from August 29th onwards, many of us will open new exhibitions.

Like so many industries, ours is a profession in which we fight every day to keep our businesses up and running. We are determined to defend our profession which is based on the collective enjoyment of freely accessible exhibitions. This, in fact, is possible through the support of collectors, who render art accessible to a far-ranging public. The market, despite significant turbulence in recent months, is essential to the survival of artists and to the development of artistic creation.

Every exhibition represents the work and dedication of artists, assistants, sellers, collection managers, communication officers, transporters, subcontractors and other actors in this fragile ecosystem.

Our entire profession is of course aware of the current health issues. For the coming months, we have instituted a strict set of precautionary measures for both our staff and visitors: doors will remain open in order to reduce the use of handles, all countertops will be fitted with a plexiglass screen, documentation will be accessible via QR code, we will carefully manage the flow of gallery visitors, all entrants will be asked to wear a mask, and we will forego opening events.

Although difficult, this is the time to underline the foundations of our profession and our commitment to diversity, openness, and art. Every visit to an exhibition or a new gallery is a source of wonder and surprise. Through this reckoning, our world has become more open and collaborative, which offers us a small comfort in this current moment.

Let’s stay positive!

Emmanuel Perrotin

MAY 23 — JUNE 6
Balice-Hertling, Anne-Sarah Benichou, Crèvecoeur, Frank Elbaz, Antoine Levi, Semiose

JUNE 13 — JUNE 27
Galerie Danysz, Valeria Cetraro, Laurent Godin, Edouard Montassut, Mor Charpentier, New Galerie, Sultana

JULY 4 — JULY 18
Air de Paris, Galerie Allen, Salle Principale, Galerie Poggi, Praz Delavallade, Joseph Tang, Jocelyn Wolff

JULY 25 — AUGUST 14
Marcelle Alix, Art:Concept, gb agency, Campoli Presti, High Art, In Situ