works and allows us to reach a wider audience,” insists Yves-Bernard Debie. He also makes no secret of the challenges facing the event. The entry into force of the European regulation on the import of cultural goods is disrupting the daily lives of dealers. “This text now requires proof of legality for all imports into the Union. The risk is that it will freeze legitimate trade, discourage exhibitions and weaken the most virtuous dealers,” he warns. To address this, the Parcours has set up a partnership with a specialist transport company and distributes legal notes to exhibitors. ‘We must remain active in the field, listening to our galleries, so that the fair continues to be a place where works and knowledge can circulate.” Alongside the fair, satellite exhibitions add a special depth to this edition. Canadian dealer and collector Jacques Germain takes over the Gradiva gallery with Au Cœur de l’Afrique Classique (At the Heart of Classical Africa). A loyal supporter of the Parcours since 2004,
The honorary presidency once again goes to Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière (portrait on the right, page 38), a patron who has been involved for decades. “I was struck by the number of visitors, the curiosity of newcomers rubbing shoulders with the keen eye of seasoned enthusiasts, as well as the availability of gallery owners,” he says of the previous edition. “The Parcours is unique in the simplicity of the contact it creates between galleries, works of art and the general public. His commitment extends beyond the fair: he supports the transformation of the Pavillon des Sessions at the Louvre into the Galerie des Cinq Continents and finances two annual exhibitions at the Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac. “I never interfere in programming choices, but I am happy to support the ideal of a “living” museum as envisioned by Jacques Chirac,” he says, recalling his role as ambassador for cultural diversity at UNESCO.
Parcours des mondes 2024 © Mickaël Pijoubert
he pays a personal tribute: “I have long wanted to step outside the framework of the fair to offer something more intimate, more free, a gesture of recognition.” His selection includes Kota reliquary figures, Punu masks and Luso-African ivories. “To me, they seem to be a marvel of deconstruction and purity. I have seen so many of them pass through my hands, and yet they continue to amaze me,” he confides, emphasising the expressive power and balance between abstraction and sacredness of these masterpieces.
Thus, over the decades, the Parcours des Mondes has established itself as an international benchmark. In the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, with its passionate atmosphere and friendly conviviality, this is much more than just a fair: it is a celebration of non-European arts and a meeting place for different cultures. Combining loyalty to great traditions with contemporary audacity, the 2025 edition promises to be a living manifesto for art, dialogue and transmission.
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CLASS & RELAX LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE ~ 2025
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