Paris Gallery Weekend Returns: Three Days of Art, Discovery, and Unexpected Encounters
Dear Shaaded Viewers,
Paris transforms into an open-air museum this weekend, as 77 galleries across the Île-de-France region throw open their doors for the 13th edition of Paris Gallery Weekend, May 29-31, 2026. This annual celebration of contemporary art, organized by the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art (CPGA), offers a rare opportunity to step inside the intimate spaces where art comes alive—and it’s completely free.
The scope is staggering: over 200 artists showcased across three days, with more than 60 events animating the city’s premier art districts. Among the exhibitions, 64 solo shows demonstrate the depth of individual artistic visions, while 24 group exhibitions create unexpected dialogues between practitioners. Seven curated routes wind through the Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and Matignon neighborhoods, alongside eight thematic “Zooms” that guide visitors through specific interests—from drawing and sculpture to environmental concerns and women artists. Last year’s edition welcomed nearly 19,000 visitors, with all guided tours selling out completely. The energy is palpable, the momentum building.
One of the most intriguing features this year is the return of the “Cartes Blanches” program, where galleries invite personalities from the art world to conceive original exhibitions. Five galleries are participating, creating fresh perspectives that break conventional exhibition formats. At lilia ben salah, critic Éric Mangion has curated Mohamed Lekleti’s “Poussières d’exil” (Dust of Exile). H Gallery hands the reins to Olivier Kaeppelin for “Auprès du cœur sauvage,” a group show featuring Karine Hoffman, Oda Jaune, Sarah Jérôme, and Louise Tilleke—the title borrowed from Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector’s poetic universe. Meanwhile, Galerie Papillon gives carte blanche to Irene Mauri for “Matière vive,” assembling eight artists from the French scene including Gaëlle Chotard, Baptiste Croze, and Elsa Sahal. The most ambitious may be at In Situ – fabienne leclerc, where Lou Revel and Félix Félisaz present “SEAHAVEN,” borrowing its title from the fictional town in The Truman Show to explore themes of artificial perfection and controlled environments.
Paris Gallery Weekend doesn’t just ask you to wander—it invites you to dive deep through its eight thematic “Zooms,” conceptual through-lines partnering with major institutions to spotlight specific practices and concerns. The Drawing Society collaborates on a route spanning 15 galleries, from galerie anne barrault to Waddington Custot, while photography lovers can follow a path curated with Les Amis de la MEP (Maison Européenne de la Photographie). Sculpture+ highlights three-dimensional works across 20 venues, and perhaps most timely, the Environment zoom—developed with Art of Change 21—features galleries like GALLERIA CONTINUA, Mendes Wood DM, and In Situ – fabienne leclerc addressing ecological themes. The emerging scene gets its moment through a partnership with Fondation Pernod Ricard, spotlighting younger galleries like 193 Gallery, mor charpentier, and CASSANDRA BIRD, while a dedicated route celebrating women artists spans 30 participating galleries in partnership with Les Amis du NMWA (National Museum of Women in the Arts).
Among the 64 solo shows, certain exhibitions demand attention. At Loevenbruck, the centenary of Alina Szapocznikow (1926-1973) is celebrated with “Autobiography in Fragments,” a chronological journey through the Polish sculptor’s radical work from 1946 to 1972. Hauser & Wirth presents Paul McCarthy’s characteristically provocative “SS EE Saint Santa Eva Elf Drawing Sessions 2025 with Lilith Stangenberg,” while contemporary highlights include Kiki Smith’s “Flight” at Galerie Lelong, spanning her multidisciplinary practice in sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and photography. At Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Rosson Crow presents “La Rupture,” while PERROTIN offers a rare pairing: “Affinités électives,” a duo show of Hans Hartung and Pierre Soulages.
The historical depth is equally impressive. Galerie Claude Bernard examines American realist painters of the 1970s-80s, while photography enthusiasts shouldn’t miss Zander Galerie’s presentation of Larry Sultan and Mike Mandel’s seminal “Evidence” series (1975-1977), a conceptual masterwork assembled from corporate and institutional archives.
What distinguishes this edition is how Paris Gallery Weekend extends its reach beyond traditional audiences through thoughtful programming. The Centre Pompidou partnership brings museum educators to lead tours in the Marais, connecting gallery exhibitions with the permanent collection, while the Pompicyclette—a mobile meeting space—hosts creative workshops for children as young as three. Perhaps most vital are the initiatives reaching “distant publics.” In partnership with Thanksfornothing, special visits welcome communities typically excluded from the gallery world, while “Les Yeux Ouverts,” a CPGA program, brings a CM1-CM2 class from École Montaigne in Sevran—part of a priority education network—to three Marais galleries during the weekend.
This year also marks the first operational deployment of the “Itinéraire Scène française” (French Scene Route), a partnership between the Centre national des arts plastiques, CPGA, and Institut français with government support. A dozen curators and institutional directors from five continents are invited to discover French contemporary art through dedicated gallery visits, artist encounters, and studio tours—strategic positioning that ensures French artists gain visibility in international networks while fostering co-production opportunities.
All events are free, though guided tours require booking and will sell out—last year proved that. The full program, including the 60+ events (openings, performances, signatures, brunches), lives at parisgalleryweekend.com and on Instagram @parisgalleryweekend. Three days. Seventy-seven galleries. Over two hundred artists. Countless conversations. Paris Gallery Weekend reminds us that galleries aren’t intimidating temples but spaces of exchange, generosity, and discovery. Step inside. The art is waiting.
Later,
Diane
