The resplendency of the Grand Palais might be a major draw for Art Basel Paris, whose third edition—the first held in the venue—runs until Sunday (20 October). But the 124-year-old structure also comes with some drawbacks, evidenced by rainwater leaking into the building through its glass roof after heavy rain hit Paris this week.
“Due to heavy rainfall on the afternoon of Thursday 17 October, several water leaks were reported on the show floor under the nave of the Grand Palais," a spokesperson for Art Basel said in a statement. "Art Basel immediately organised additional art handlers on site to help affected exhibitors protect their artworks. The Grand Palais’s historic glass roof is prone to minimal leaks in situations of extreme rain. We remain in constant contact with the GrandPalaisRmn, the organisation responsible for the venue, who are determining possible actions. Since the morning of Friday 18 October, roofers are inspecting the Grand Palais's roof structure to address the situation.”
The Art Newspaper understands that a number of major galleries were hit, including Lisson. "Our booth was affected by rainwater leaking from the ceiling of the Grand Palais and we needed to re-hang some works," says a Lisson spokesperson.
Others, like Hauser & Wirth, opted to install coverings on their stands. A spokesperson for the gallery says this measure appears to have protected its stand from the elements. Exhibitors on the fair's upper level, mostly younger galleries focused on emerging art, appear to have been safe. Sans Titre gallery's owner Marie Madec said that her upper-level stand had remained dry.
A spokesperson for RMN, which runs the Grand Palais, said: "On the morning of Friday 18 October, rope access technicians were dispatched to the glass roof to identify and repair the anomalies."
The Grand Palais was closed from 2020 to 2024 for an extensive €466m renovation, which is why Art Basel's Paris fair could not use the venue until its third edition.
The Art Basel spokesperson also noted that its venue is far from alone in its exposure to the elements, and that "the current severe weather conditions in Paris have led to water ingress in several historic buildings across the city".
