EMMANUEL PERROTIN

rench contemporary art gallery owner, Emmanuel Perrotin, is one of the most innovative and risk-taking gallerists in the world. When he was 20 years old, he opened his rst gallery in his tiny rented apartment in the center of Paris, before opening a small art gallery next to Saint Germain with the help of his mentors, Marie-Hélène Montenay and her husband, who believed in his talent. Due to his sharp instincts and avant-gardist spirit, he was one of the rst art dealers to discover and promote cutting-edge artists such as Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan and Takashi Murakami. Emmanuel Perrotin’s mission is to help artists to realise their dream by supporting them nancially to produce their work, thus mutually sharing any risk. Twenty- ve years later, with one gallery in Paris, one in Hong Kong and a new gallery which opened in Madison Avenue in New York last year, his portfolio of artists has expanded to forty, with an eclectic mix of nationalities and artistic styles. We nd out more about the man who is currently rede ning the boundaries of the international art scene.

How would you describe your gallery and the type of artists that you represent? I opened my rst contemporary art gallery in 1989, and in the last 25 years I have successively launched fourteen galleries. My objective is to provide increasingly stimulating environments for the artists that I work with. In 2005, we established our Le Marais gallery within an 18th-century townhouse, and in 2007, an additional “white cube” space, the three spaces spread across 1,300 m 2 , in three levels. is year, we will organise thirty exhibitions between our Paris, New York and Hong Kong galleries, and we will also participate in around ten art fairs throughout the world. at’s a huge di erence compared to when I started presenting my rst exhibitions in my apartment! In late 2013, for the 25th anniversary of the Perrotin gallery, I was invited to participate in Lille3000, a major cultural event taking place in Lille, in the north of France. We were o ered 6,000 m 2 within the Tripostal exhibition space to showcase over 150 pieces of art produced by 81 di erent artists. It was an amazing event both for the gallery, and also for the artists that we collaborate with.

Supporting the artists, highlighting them around the world and helping them achieve their wildest dreams has been the raison d’être of my career. In order to exhibit our artists throughout the year, we are opening an additional 700 m2 showroom in Paris in the ballroom of the magni cent 17th-century Hôtel du Grand Veneur. We need as much space as possible to give them visibility and awareness.

How have you seen the contemporary art market evolve over the last 25 years, since you rst opened your gallery? New York is the undisputed capital of the contemporary art market, as well as the city where the largest number of artists perform. is is why I opened a new 400 m 2 space at 909 Madison Avenue in September

2013. Set within a historic 1932 Upper East Side landmark which was formerly the Bank of New York, the gallery is located next to the Frick Collection and the Whitney Museum, and is only a few blocks from e Met and the Guggenheim.

Paris is also iconic in terms of art, home to a wide range of museums, galleries and auction houses. In the last few years, several major international art galleries have opened in Paris, and FIAC has become one of the major art fairs in the world for art collectors. Simultaneously, Asia is experiencing a fantastic cultural boom with the development of brand new museums and venues dedicated to contemporary art, particularly in Hong Kong. Important players are stimulating the market, including major international art galleries and auction houses such as Christie’s, Ravenel, Poly and Sotheby’s. In 2012, I inaugurated a new gallery in Hong Kong designed by architect Andre Fu. He is one of the world’s most sought after designers, renowned for his sensuous and unique interiors, and is famous for his collaborations with hotels such as the Upper House in Hong Kong (Swire Hotels), and the Four Seasons Hotels. He converted a 650 m2 space on the 17th oor of 50 Connaught Road Central into our gallery, with stunning views overlooking the Victoria Harbour. is is a perfect place to showcase contemporary art.

Considering that you have been travelling extensively over the last few decades, how would you describe Paris compared with other major international capitals? Paris is where it all began for me, and obviously I’m deeply attached to my city and still enjoy it very much despite my intense travel agenda. Paris is an amazing capital for fashion, design, cinema and of course gastronomy!

Who would you say embodies Paris and why? at’s a challenging question, especially because artists tend to work more globally. ey behave like nomads who cannot, and don’t want to be identi ed with one single city, even if Paris often represents their hub. I could mention artist Jean-Michel Othoniel who is well known for his permanent glass-based art installation outside of the Palais-Royal metro station, called the Kiosque des Noctambules (Kiosk of the Nightowls). Next autumn, he will present his next creation which will be three monumental permanent sculptures representing gigantic fountains that will be showcased in the Water eatre Grove in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Another group of artists embody the excitement of Parisian nightlife; my friends from La Clique du Baron, who have created very intimate and trendy places to party in Paris, such as Le Baron, the coolest nightclub in Paris. ey have exported their savoir faire and French touch to New York and Tokyo, but also to Tuscany next to San Gimignano, where Lionel Bensemoun and his friends have created the Villa Lena. ey have conceived a unique space within a 19thcentury Tuscan villa where artists are invited for a 2 month period to create and work in a beautiful and peaceful environment, lost between the cli s and the olive trees of Tuscany. Finally, I would mention Karl Lagerfeld, who has for many years been able to represent the elegance and soberness of the Chanel Parisian spirit.