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Paris Biennale to hold online-only auction in lieu of physical fair
The 32nd edition of the Paris Biennale has been postponed to September 2021 in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A woman labels artwork during preparations ahead of the Biennale des Antiquaires event on September 7, 2017 at the Grand Palais venue in Paris. (AFP/Bertrand Guay)
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he 32nd edition of the Paris Biennale has been postponed to September 2021 due to "the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risks associated with the organization of an international event."
Organizers of the fair have now announced an online auction will take place at Christie's from September 10 to 21, 2020, in lieu of the annual event inside the Jean-Michel Wilmotte-designed Grand Palais Éphémère.
The sale will feature a selection of objets d'art, pieces of furniture and jewelry, which will collectively cover 6,000 years of art history.
The catalogue was established by more than 50 internationally renowned dealers that were brought together by La Biennale Paris and the Syndicat National des Antiquaires.
Among them are Ariadne Galleries, Yves Macaux, Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Brun Fine Art, Galerie de la Béraudière, Laffanour - Galerie Downtown and Galerie Neuse, most of which have already confirmed their intention of participating in the 32nd edition of La Biennale Paris in 2021.
The full list of participating galleries and art dealers will be unveiled at a press conference in July 2020.
Read also: Venice Architecture Biennale postponed until 2021
Additionally, the works offered online will be exhibited at Christie's and on view at the participating galleries, for the duration of the sale.
"La Biennale Paris is an event organized by dealers for dealers. It is essential that we support the profession in this unprecedented crisis with new and appropriate initiatives. We are very pleased to be partnering with Christie's for this sale. Christie's wide reach and extensive capacities worldwide will bring great visibility to dealers and will enable them to reach out to new collectors," Georges De Jonckheere, President of La Biennale Paris, commented in a statement.
Earlier this year, la Biennale de Paris made a commitment to donate the profits from its Gala Dinner to the "Mission Stéphane Bern" for the protection of historic monuments and ancient buildings in France.
While the gala has been canceled in reaction to the global pandemic, Christie's has confirmed that it will donate a part of the proceeds from the sale to the "Mission Stéphane Bern."
Aside from the online sale at Christie's, organizers of the Paris Biennale have announced plans to launch a series of digital events to entertain fairgoers and collectors, details of which will be made public in the coming weeks.
