Discover the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art
Established in Paris since 1994, the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art is both a meeting space between art and the general public, and a place for artists to create. The foundation therefore organizes thematic exhibitions each year in order to promote and encourage contemporary creation. Let’s discover the history and missions of the Cartier Foundation , as well as its 2024 programming.
The origins of the Cartier Foundation
Based on a unique concept aimed at facilitating access to knowledge of contemporary art and encouraging creation, the Cartier Foundation is the result of 40 years of reflection and various actions.
The history of the Cartier Foundation
The Cartier Foundation was created in 1984 under the leadership of Alain Dominique, the President of Cartier International. The vocation of the place has always been to promote contemporary artistic creation , but also to disseminate knowledge of it to the general public. We therefore present the work of famous artists, but also young artists, from France and around the world.
For 10 years, the Foundation was based in Jouy-en-Josas, before moving, in 1994, to Paris. The architect Jean Nouvel then imagined a glass building giving artists complete freedom to create and exhibit.
Quickly, the Foundation became a reference site for contemporary art , and it always manages to surprise by exploring all fields of artistic creation, such as sciences, visual arts, architecture, fashion, design, or cinema again.
Composed today of more than 2,000 works created by more than 500 artists , the Foundation’s collection reflects the multidisciplinary programming it offers visitors.
Commissioning artists: one of the Foundation’s missions
To enrich its collection and encourage creation, the Cartier Foundation places orders with artists each year . It is a way of supporting the production of a work or an entire exhibition with various artists, and thus offering to work on innovative projects.
These annual commissions are a strong testimony to the relationships that the Foundation has built, over the years, with artists from all over the world, but also to the desire to open up to the world .
Since 1984, many artists have had the opportunity to express themselves, including Sarah Sze, Ron Mueck, Damien Hirst, Nikau Hindin, Myriam Gourfink…
The discovery of talents: the leitmotif of the Foundation
The Cartier Foundation’s mission has always been to reveal new talents . It therefore regularly highlights contemporary artists during temporary exhibitions.
Among the great talents that were revealed during an exhibition at the Foundation , we can note:
- Matthew Barney, in 1995;
- Takashi Murakami, the neo-pop painter now known throughout the world;
- Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, the Aboriginal artist who exhibited for the first time outside Australia thanks to the Foundation, in 2022…
The Foundation also wants to present known artists where they are not expected , such as the filmmaker David Lynch, who exhibited his drawings and paintings, or the fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who presented an astonishing exhibition where bread dough used to imagine beautiful dresses.
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The 2024 exhibitions at the Fondation Cartier
The Fondation Cartier’s program is already busy for 2024. You can already discover the current temporary exhibition, while waiting for the next one, scheduled for June.
Bijoy Jain / Studio Mumbai – The breath of the architect
From December 9, 2023 to April 21, 2024, the Foundation welcomes Indian architect and founder of Studio Mumbai, Bijoy Jain. His exhibition, The breath of the architect takes us into his poetic and surprising universe, mixing nature, Man and matter.
The artist invites you to daydream through a unique sensory experience during which time seems to freeze. Bijoy Jain ‘s creations seek to create a connection between man and nature, and to give free rein to emotions.
The exhibition is complemented, throughout, by the works of ceramist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye . They bring a touch of sensitivity which perfectly complements the work of Bijoy Jain, by offering ceramics inspired by plants, nature and movement.
From the first steps in the exhibition space, we let ourselves be carried away by the emotions and the softness of the place, like a parenthesis in our tumultuous lives.
Matthew Barney – Secondary
From June 8, 2024, and until September 8, 2024, the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art will host Matthew Barney’s exhibition , Secondary . For the occasion, we celebrate the long collaboration between the Foundation and the American artist, which began 30 years ago, with the co-production of his first film, Cremaster 4 .
In this astonishing exhibition , we find 5 videos, all taking place on an American football field. For 1 hour, 11 performers take action, including the artist himself, as well as numerous dancers with aging bodies. The plot revolves around an incident that occurred in 1978, during a professional football match, causing the paralysis of Darryl Stingley.
Secondary transcribes the image we have of violence in sport, and the entire culture associated with it, through a poignant exhibition . A true key player in contemporary art in France, the Fondation Cartier opens its doors to you every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (except Mondays). Come and discover the works of international artists and soak up the magic of the place.
