Exhibitors at Art Basel Paris are forced to protect works of art from leaks

On Wednesday morning, the first VIPs lining up outside the Grand Palais for Art Basel Paris were bathed in sunshine. Inside the historic, glass-roofed exhibition hall, it was like a greenhouse – hot and sweaty – as the temperature hovered around 30 degrees Celsius. However, on Thursday afternoon the 124-year-old building was under water as heavy rain battered Paris. Several galleries responded quickly to prevent the leaks from damaging their paintings.

Art Basel said in a statement that it had brought in additional art dealers to help affected exhibitors protect their holdings. “Due to heavy rainfall on Thursday afternoon, October 17, several water leaks were reported in the exhibition area under the nave of the Grand Palais,” a fair spokesman said. “The historic glass roof of the Grand Palais is susceptible to minimal leaks during extreme rainfall. We are in constant contact with the GrandPalaisRmn, the organization responsible for the venue, which will decide on possible measures. Since Friday morning, October 18th, roofers have been inspecting the roof structure of the Grand Palais in order to remedy the situation.”

Lisson, which has spaces in London, New York, Beijing, Shanghai and LA, was one of the galleries that got wet. “Our stand was affected by rainwater leaking from the ceiling of the Grand Palais and we had to re-hang some works,” said a Lisson spokesman The art newspaper. The gallery’s exhibition includes works by Olga de Amaral – titled Viento Oro And Naked 23 (Plata 5) (both 2014) – which sold on Wednesday for $800,000 and $400,000, respectively.

Hauser & Wirth sought to waterproof its stand by installing covers, a gallery spokesman said. A painting by Kazimir Malevich – Suprematism, 18th building (1915) – which sold at Sotheby’s in 2015 for more than $30 million, is the centerpiece of the stand. It is currently on hold.

Related articles

No serious damage to artworks at Art Basel Paris was reported. The galleries exhibiting on the fair’s top level, which generally focus on emerging artists, dodged the leaks.

The Réunion des Musées Nationaux (RMN), the company that operates the Grand Palais, said in a statement: “On the morning of October 18, rope access technicians were sent to the glass roof to identify and repair the anomalies.”

From 2020 to 2024, the massive building was closed while it underwent a $500 million modernization, forcing Art Basel Paris to wait until its third edition to use the venue.

The Art Basel spokesperson added that “the current storms in Paris have resulted in water leaks in several historic buildings across the city.”