Pourquoi Paris ? offers a mid-career, established artist—sometimes rarely shown in France—the opportunity to unfold their practice across multiple Parisian venues, for just one week in October, coinciding with the Art Basel Paris contemporary art fair. The selected locations invite new ways of reading the artist’s work, revealing the different disciplines they engage with.

Though fragmented, the body of work becomes paradoxically more legible—and, above all, less predictable—since it departs from the conventional presentation of an artist confined to a single space. The project’s brief duration, limited to a single week, lends it a palpable intensity.

Pourquoi Paris ? explores both public and intimate spheres, as well as interior and exterior spaces, by bringing together new partner institutions—public or private—alongside unconventional exhibition sites. This exercise could be likened to a biennial dedicated to one sole participant. And as with any biennial, the relationship to place and to the host city is essential. The foundation of this project lies in a deeply trusting and privileged relationship with the artist, built over the years and reaffirmed with each new edition.

This is Paris. A city whose energy has been completely renewed in recent years, especially on the artistic front. I was born and raised here, and yet I could never claim to know Paris inside out. But I have roamed its streets—by night and by day—more than any other place on earth. I’ve lived in the center, the West, then the East, the North but never the South. My attachment to Paris runs deep.

With each edition of this project, I strive to activate different networks, whether institutional or private, tailoring the experience to the needs and identities of each artist. Their external view of the city intertwines with mine, resulting in daring combinations.

Our perspectives converge. The goal is to help Parisian audiences discover—or rediscover—forgotten or often inaccessible spaces. Taking place during a major fair, this annual gathering also draws a broad international audience of contemporary art professionals, while remaining an open and democratic event that welcomes all kinds of visitors.

Pourquoi Paris ? is therefore a question in itself. Rather than pointing to a single city, it asks us to reflect on our relationship with art—on our ability to still be dazzled and surprised by an artist, or by a city we thought we already knew.