This April 9–12, 2026, the City of Lights will once again host Art Paris at the Grand Palais, this time with a focus on two themes that permeate contemporary art today: language and reparation.

Guest curator Loïc Le Gall has tackled the theme of language in the curated presentation “Babel – Art and Language in France,” which takes an incisive look at the French art scene, and the linguistic structures and systems that underpin French contemporary art. Comprised of 21 artists specially chosen from galleries participating in Art Paris, the themed visitor path offers an exploration through the rich, varied, and often enigmatic use of language and linguistic symbols.

Fabrice Hyber, Artichoke (2021). Courtesy of Galerie Nathalie Obadia.

“Some artists explore the material nature of letters themselves, whereas others examine the tension that exists between text and images, or tackle themes such as translation, the ambiguity of signs, the many and varied alphabets and the way in which words circulate networks,” said Le Gall in a statement. “The ensemble proves that art is a laboratory where the forms of language are observed and analyzed, sometimes used in new contexts and often reinvented. Featuring creations that waver between figuration and abstraction, this themed visit is an invitation to rethink our relationship with words and symbols and the way in which, both individually and collectively, we construct and decode the reality of our surroundings.”

Sonia Delaunay, Projet de couverture pour l’album n°1 (1916). Courtesy of Galerie Berès.

Curated by Alexia Fabre, “Reparation” presents a nuanced dialogue around contemporary art from the perspective of reparation, and the diverse interpretations of the term across time, cultures, and individual voices. Featuring 20 international artists from across the fair, what emerges is a synthesis of both personal and collective storytelling and histories, tapping into the dichotomous nature of reparations: alluding to both war, suffering, and injustice, and conversely healing and restitution. Together, the term and its application are complicated, allowing for multifaceted understandings to coexist.

Lara Bloy, Égarée 55 (2025). Courtesy of Galerie Pauline.

The two themes of the fair are highlighted against a backdrop of roughly 165 French and international gallery presentations. Through the fair’s tentpole sectors—including Promises, focusing on young galleries and emerging artists, Solo Show, featuring 24 monographic presentations, and the second-ever French Design Art Edition, showcasing design and contemporary decorative arts—visitors are offered a glimpse into the full breadth of contemporary art making today.

Art Paris will be held April 9–12, 2026, at the Grand Palais.