Alexandra Fain Majestic Asia
The founder of Asia Now is proud and it shows. For the ninth edition of her show dedicated to the Asian art scene, she brought together some sixty galleries in the magnificent setting of the Monnaie de Paris. By Eric Jansen It is fair to say that her perseverance was admirable. When she began in 2015, Alexandra Fain was a novice when it came to organizing trade shows. And in the particularly exclusive world of art galleries and trade-show directors, she was pretty much an unknown... Although the young woman’s career began in communications and the luxury sector, working successively for Publicis and Richemont, contemporary art was, however, in her DNA. Her father Claude Fain, having established a significant collection of works from the Symbolist movement, decided in the 1980’s to concentrate on contemporary art of the time. It was with him some 40 years later in 2010 that Alexandra discovered the Asian scene. The young woman knew Sylvain and Dominique Levy, passionate collectors of Chinese artists, and, fascinated by their universe and eager to make them known in Europe, set up a first fringe exhibition at the Venice Biennale, organizing a show at the Espace Cardin a few months later. “Pretty much low-key and on a human scale, with just 18 galleries. In fact, we maintained this ‘boutique art fair’ positioning.” Professionals wavered between bewilderment and curiosity. “But they all came to have a look…” It must be said that Alexandra surrounded herself with some serious pulling power: “The Lévy duo, Jérôme Sanz, François Curiel, Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr, Guy and Myriam Ullens, Uli Sigg, Hervé Mikaeloff… all have been very kind to me”. The mini-show then moved to a private mansion in the capital’s Avenue Hoche for six years. Momentum grew steadily, until it suddenly accelerated last year, when Alexandra secured the Hôtel de la Monnaie in Paris to host her show. She was now playing in the big leagues. Not enough to overshadow Paris + admittedly, but this prestigious address not only increased visibility but also established Alexandra as a force to be reckoned with. “We complement each other” she explains with a smile. “Galleries that participate in Asia Now have in common the fact that
La foire se tient dans le magnifique hôtel de la Monnaie de Paris.
Une toile de Lee Kunyong présentée par la galerie 313 Art Project, de Séoul.
O n peut dire qu’elle a fait preuve d’une persévérance admirable. Lorsqu’elle se lance en 2015, Alexandra Fain est une novice en matière d’organisation de salons. Et son crédit dans l’univers très fermé des galeries d’art et des directeurs de foires n’est guère plus établi… La jeune femme a commencé une carrière dans la communication et le luxe, travaillant successivement pour Publicis et
Richemont. Mais l’art contemporain a baigné son quotidien. Son père Claude Fain, après avoir collectionné les peintres symbolistes, a décidé dans les années 80 de se consacrer à la création de son temps. C’est avec lui qu’Alexandra découvre la scène asiatique en 2010. La jeune femme est également liée à Sylvain et Dominique Levy, qui collectionnent avec passion les artistes chinois. Fascinée par
21
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker