Everything You Missed From Art Basel Paris 2025
From the art heists and afterparties to a giant Kermit the Frog.
After rounding off the chaos of Frieze week in London, the art world headed straight to Paris for Art Basel’s fourth edition in the French capital. Taking over the Grand Palais’s impressive glass-ceilinged building, this is no tent in the park. Rivaling Frieze London and fighting for the larger share of the European art market, Art Basel Paris made quite the splash.
The week was off to a somewhat rocky start with the city’s most brazen art heist in decades taking place at the Louvre just days before the art week kicked off. Priceless historical crown jewels were stolen in broad daylight, with the authorities still working to recover the pieces and having to close the city’s largest museum. But the curators, collectors and VIPs still showed up.
Over the week, 206 galleries from 42 countries and territories presented the best of their programs in the historical building. There were defining works from the 20th century alongside ultra-contemporary stars and a standout moment which saw Gagosian present a rediscovered piece by Peter Paul Rubens.
Extending far beyond the palatial walls, plenty of satellite shows and events took place to keep visitors from getting any cabin fever in the conservatory. From a giant Kermit the Frog to Edward Enninful’s talk series, there was no shortage of activity. And for you fashion-lovers out there, with Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton acting partners of Art Basel Paris, the fashion influence turned up too.
Bringing together some of the top talent and tastemakers globally, here are our highlights from Art Week in the city of lights.
The Art
Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Presentation
Associate partner of Art Basel Paris for the third consecutive year, Louis Vuitton unveiled the “Artycapucines VII – Louis Vuitton × Takashi Murakami” collection, 20 years after the first partnership between the Japanese artist and the luxury House. To mark the occasion, Murakami created an installation that was presented on the Balcon d’Honneur at the Grand Palais. It featured an eight-meter-high sculpture of an octopus with tentacles taking over the exhibition space alongside exclusive sketches evoking the vibrant world of the artist. Eleven of the House’s signature Capucines bags were also given a Murakami makeover as part of the partnership and revealed at the art fair. Playfulness met OG style codes for this one.
Detroit Salon Presents Domestic Dialogues: The Art of Living in Detroit
Bakpak Durden, Sēdibus (pre) Frontalis
As the art world descended on Paris, Detroit showed up and brought its creative energy, too. Detroit Salon is an international platform for contemporary art and culture rooted in the city. This activation spotlighted the city’s diverse creative voices and brought them to a global stage. The week saw art, fashion, design and music presented across the program. One highlight was the design exhibition in the Grand Palais titled “Domestic Dialogues,” which showcased a reimagined Detroit home curated with furniture and art highlighting the city’s legacy of craftsmanship.
Marianne Boesky Gallery Pop-Up: “Boesky in Paris”
Dora Jeridi – Splendid Blues (2025) – (copyright of Dora Jeridi and courtesy of Marianne Boesky Gallery)
The Marianne Boesky gallery held a pop-up exhibition just a short walk from the fair. “Boesky in Paris” presented new work from artists including Celeste Rapone (previously covered on Hypebae), Dora Jeridi and Jammie Holmes. Our personal highlight was Jeridi’s expressive approach to painting and the powerful physicality of her pieces. Creating a tension between figuration and abstraction, the artist conceals and unveils her forms through layering various mediums such as oil, charcoal and sometimes spray paint. Striking contrasts and chaotic colors come together in a reflection of human complexity.
Miu Miu “30 Blizzards.” by Helen Marten
As the main partner of Art Basel Paris, Miu Miu conceived the project “30 Blizzards.,” a multidisciplinary work by artist Helen Marten. Shifting between sculpture, painting, video and for the first time, performance too, the project was staged at the Palais d’Iéna. The exhibition was physically structured around a counterpoint of five sculptures and five newly conceived videos, referencing chronological moments in life from childhood to old age and bringing together 30 performers. This was one to take you away from the static and fully immerse you in the dynamic world of artists.
The Giant Kermit The Frog
Place Vendôme is synonymous with luxury fashion houses and historical significance. While you may have a taste of “cuisses de grenouille” (frog legs) while in the French capital, you may not have been expecting the giant, helium-filled inflatable of Kermit the Frog looming over the elegant square. Beneath the float, visitors saw a troupe of performers in Kermit costumes, one of whom was the artist behind the wild sight, American-Venezuelan Alex Da Corte. If there’s one thing you can always rely on from the art world, it’s the unexpected.
The Afters
Centre Pompidou Closing Party “Because Beaubourg”
The Centre Pompidou, a contemporary arts space in Paris, closed its doors in September for a five-year renovation. While the art world descended on the city, the institution reopened for just two days for a double celebration. Inviting the public to rediscover the site and celebrate the 20th anniversary of independent label Because Music, they hosted the largest ever event in the building. Taking over eight levels for two days and nights of immersive experiences and creative encounters, this was the ultimate way to honor the history of the space while supporting the future with new artists. The offerings included a roller disco, art installations, film screenings and a nightclub that saw performances from Shygirl and a surprise DJ set from Fred Again. This one gave us major FOMO.
Le Cornichon and Bar Nico Collaboration
For the fine dining foodies out there, for one night only, Bar Nico brought its vibrant energy from 1980s Milan to Paris. The menu was inspired by Milanese aperitivo culture in the ’80s and featured a special selection of dishes and drinks. With a passion for conviviality and culinary expertise, Bar Nico provided the ultimate vibes to Le Cornichon’s long counter in the Parisian streets. Lively, relaxed and undeniably aesthetic, we wait patiently for next year.
Conversation Series “The 90s,” Guest-curated by Edward Enninful
Just over the road from the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais hosted a series of talks, guest curated by Edward Enninful, on the impact of the 1990s ahead of his exhibition coming to the Tate Britain in 2026. One feature of the lineup was a conversation between Enninful and photographer Juergen Teller. The photographer’s unpolished aesthetic redefined much of the fashion imagery in the ’90s, with a visual language defined by imperfection and an intimacy that could never be felt through the highly polished images of the time. The rare conversation revisited his unlikely muses, famed moments and the gritty codes of the decade.
