Parcours du Monde, Paris 2024
Paris is definitely the center of the world for tribal art. Parcours du Monde is a special even held every fall that entices dealers from all over the world to come to Paris and rent temporary spaces to exhibit their collections. Many of our US museums are now hiring curators that are more interested in contemporary indigenous art and interpreting African and Native American from that perspective. That view is not better or worse It is a choice that is not as interesting for many that have been admiring tribal art for decades. So those that appreciate art for art, you will enjoy the YouTube Parcours tour referenced at the end.of this article.
Parcours des Mondes, the renowned fair for traditional African and Oceanic art, took place in Paris from September 10-15, 2024. This year's event featured several notable highlights and trends:
Exhibition Highlights
Surrealism Centenary
One of the most ambitious exhibitions was "Zones de Contact" at Galerie Hourdé, celebrating the centenary of Surrealism
. This show explored conceptual links between Surrealism and art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, moving beyond simplistic narratives of "discovery" and aesthetic affinities. It included objects related to dreams, the unconscious, and immaterial realms, demonstrating how some traditional artworks embodied a Surrealist-like approach avant la lettre
. Kaka Sculptures
Bruno Claessens' Duende Art Projects presented a revelatory exhibition called "Dévoilée – Unveiled" featuring 12 richly patinated sculptures from the Kaka people of the Nigeria-Cameroon border
. This show aimed to bring clarity to often misattributed Kaka art, displaying about 10% of the known corpus, including two large altar figures
. Diverse Cultural Representations
The fair showcased a truly global array of art, including:
Egyptian antiquities at Harmakhis
Hopi kachina dolls at Galerie Flak
Asian religious statuary at Gauchet Art Asiatique
Indigenous Australian art presented alongside early Buddhist, Taoist, and Shinto sculpture
Emerging Trends
Modern and Contemporary Focus
This year's Parcours des Mondes featured an increased presence of modern and contemporary art, with exhibitions crossing traditional categories to expand audience appeal
. Dialogues Across Time
Several galleries created exhibitions bridging traditional and contemporary art:
Galerie Vallois presented a dialogue between ancestral Lega art and contemporary Cuban artist Armando Sánchez (Mikimando)
Christophe Person showcased the first retrospective of Malian artist Amahiguéré Dolo, whose work borders on animism and Surrealism
Strong Aesthetics
The fair featured many powerful, aesthetically striking pieces. Galleries like Claessens and Hourdé presented particularly impressive collections of traditional African art
Dealer Perspectives
While specific sales figures weren't provided in the search results, there were some indications of dealer sentiment:
Some dealers, like Montagut, were noted to have sold well
The overall atmosphere seemed positive, with a "strong comeback" mentioned for some major dealers
However, one observer noted a relative scarcity of more affordable pieces with good price-quality relationships compared to previous years
Conclusion
Parcours des Mondes 2024 demonstrated the continuing vitality and evolution of the tribal art market. By embracing both deep tradition and contemporary dialogues, the fair showcased the enduring relevance and universal appeal of Indigenous art forms from around the world
. The event's success in bringing together diverse cultural expressions and fostering new perspectives on traditional art forms bodes well for the future of this important sector of the art world.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVjFiMWnOLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ksst2rsxU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0SS-TIkz9U
https://www.parcours-des-mondes.com/
https://www.artfairmag.com/parcours-des-mondes/
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/parcours-des-mondes-preview-2024/
