Contemporary art lovers are waiting with bated breath: on 22 May 2021 the Bourse de Commerce in Paris will be re-opening its doors after years of renovation works to house one of the world’s finest art collections: the Pinault Collection. SoBARNES gives you an inside look into this iconic monument transformed into a museum.
“At first it was just a dream, one that seemed out of reach”, explains French businessman and collector François Pinault. “Then the dream became an ambition. And the ambition is now a reality. The building needed to undergo a complete restoration, worthy of its rich history, and a large-scale transformation to become a contemporary art museum. Given the challenges involved, the natural choice for the task was Tadao Ando, who has worked on all my cultural projects.” The revamped Bourse de Commerce features ten exhibition galleries and a 284-seat auditorium. In the heart of Paris (1st arrondissement), the François Pinault Collection has created a venue in its own image:
The Bourse de Commerce building is a testimony to four centuries of architectural and technical prowess. Japanese architect Tadao Ando has come up with a plan that reconciles a radical realisation with simplicity, while staying true to the DNA of this historic monument. By using the geometrical form of a circle within a circle, he has created a “world that respects the past, celebrates the present, and embraces the future.”
The François Pinault Collection, a unique ensemble of over 10,000 works by almost 380 artists including paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs, sound pieces, installations and performances. The artists come from all continents and all generations, demonstrating the attention given by this extraordinary collector to emerging trends and movements.
And because this artistic space is designed above all to be living, French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec were commissioned to create the urban and interior furnishings that invite visitors on a voyage of discovery, while the restaurant, named La Halle aux Grains, has been entrusted to Michelin-starred chefs Michel and Sébastien Bras from Aveyron.
Reservations are open for the free open days on 22, 23 and 24 May from 11am to 7pm. The museum will then be open every day from 11am to 7pm, except Tuesdays, in accordance with the health standards currently in force, of course. So what’s the programme for the first exhibition? That’s a carefully guarded secret... But you can trust us to keep our ear to the floor!
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Informations and ticket office:
Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection, 2, rue de Viarmes 75001 Paris - FRANCE / Tél. : +33 (0)1 55 04 60 60 / Pinaultcollection.com
Pictures: Bourse de Commerce — Pinault Collection © Tadao Ando Architect & Associates, Niney et Marca Architectes, Agence Pierre-Antoine Gatier
© Patrick Tourneboeuf / Maxime Tétard / Vladimir Partalo
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