The co-organisers of Paris’s historic jewellery, art and antiques fair, the prestigious Biennale des Antiquaires, say that progress on the 28th edition (10-18 September) is picking up speed, and deny a reported rift.
French press reports say that both the Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA, the French association of antiques dealers) and Reed Exhibitions, which also runs the Modern and contemporary art fair Fiac and Paris Photo, have clashed over the size of the Biennale.
The SNA founded the fair, which launched in 1962 as a biennial event at Paris’s Grand Palais. Last summer, SNA members voted to make the Biennale an annual event. In September, Reed Exhibitions signed a partnership agreement with the SNA to help deliver the fair.
According to the French newspaper Les Echos, there are differences of opinion between Reed and the SNA over “reducing the scale of the Biennale”. A spokeswoman for the Biennale tells us: “this was never an issue. Both SNA and Reed have decided to pursue the partnership and develop their respective roles for a successful 2016 Biennale.”
Reed will continue to work with officials at the Grand Palais and liaise with collectors, while the SNA will collaborate with exhibitors and other professional bodies. A total of 113 galleries from 12 countries will participate in the Biennale this September, with 41 newcomers and 29 returning galleries.
Henri Loyrette, the former president of the Louvre, will be at the helm as chairman. The Old Master Fair, Paris Tableau, was folded into the Biennale des Antiquaires last autumn.