Present for the first time at the Paris Art Fair, the iconic Emmanuel Perrotin gallery introduces the new works by artists that, thanks to the gallery, have been elevated to legendary ranks.
One does not become one of the leading figures of the contemporary art scene without taking risks – Emmanuel Perrotin can claim to have been able to take the movement against the tide. And this has worked out well for him more than once.
Today, as he is present for the first time at the meeting of contemporary art ‘Art Paris’, this is the opportunity to look back on the meteoric rise of an icon of the art world.
Emmanuel Perrotin: Risk Taker
“Very early on, I have been giving young artists the opportunity to produce their works, whereas before, money was only given to established artists. If it doesn’t sell, I’m losing money. I take real risks for artists.” And it is true that risk-taking is part of the very DNA of the Perrotin gallery.
At 21, Emmanuel Perrotin hosted his first art gallery – in his small Parisian apartment. At 23, in 1991, he gave young British Artist Damien Hirst his first exhibition – the success was dazzling. A few months later, Damien Hirst became the icon of a new artistic movement.
Perrotin becomes the figurehead of a new way of introducing art to collectors and the public – giving free rein to artists in such a way that today would be called disruptive.
Perrotin And His Artists
We owe it to Emmanuel Perrotin for having provided the scene with profiles as typical as they are fascinating. Maurizio Cattelan, Takashi Murakami, Sophie Calle, Wim Delvoye and even KAWS have found in Emmanuel Perrotin an effective springboard to impose their unconventional vision.
Taking risks à la Perrotin relies as much on the artist as on the gallerist’s ability to accept challenges. So Maurizio Cattelan had him dress, for the opening night of his first solo exhibition, in a large pink rabbit in the shape of a phallus. Caustic Cattelan later dubbed him ‘Errotin, the real rabbit’.
Another risk-taking, like-minded artist- the mischievous Maurizio Cattelan keeps pushing the limits of art, and the latest happening dates back to Art Basel Miami 2019. A ready-made even more absurd than those by Duchamps: a banana taped to the wall, “Comedian”. The work goes viral, a total success!
Today, the Perrotin gallery has nine spaces, including pioneering galleries in Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai.
Art Paris Art Fair: The Icons of Emmanuel Perrotin
Until September 13, 2020, the Grand Palais serves as an exceptional setting for the 22nd Paris Art Fair edition. And for his first participation, Emmanuel Perrotin was able to highlight the icons of his team. A photograph by JR, with Finding hope, day view, Paris, France, 2020…
The artist has no equal when it comes to injecting everyday life with a dose of grandeur, rich in urban poetry.