Dany Danino Courtesy Galerie Pierre Hallet
CHIC Dessin, contemporary drawing fair review
26 – 29 March Contemporary Drawing Fair, 1st Edition
With twenty six galleries on display, mostly French (Parisien), as well as a smattering of English, Belgian and Italian, Chic Dessin handled its debut with real aplomb.
The fair profits from the ambience of the location, 60 rue de Richelieu in the 2eme, an upscale yet hip area near La Bourse. The event space has a more domestic interior feel, working well in contrast to the normal boxy, white convention hall that most fairs usually take place in. The space doesn’t invoke that immensity we’re so used to at art fairs, instead, the intimacy is rewarding. Walking from booth to booth doesn’t feel like a strenuous hike, and taking in all of the work is surprisingly manageable.
As with her other endeavors, Cecile Griesmar, the fair’s founder and organiser has friendly and cordial staff on hand at well appointed booths. The furniture and tables are all tastefully chosen and worked well in the space.
Chic never panders, but is instead refreshingly honest in presenting the work in a space that feels too cozy and relaxed for a gallery wall – more like the available wall in your apartment, which is exactly how these works are being presented. Enjoy the art, Chic Dessin seems to say.
The low stress atmosphere of Chic makes it that much easier to talk with galleries, navigate the fair and really enjoy yourself but there’s no getting around the old adage “seeing is believing.” And while all the window dressings were great, the best part about Chic Dessin were the goods.
Among the all around solid showing, a couple of stand-outs really caught our eye:
Galerie Pierre Hallet (Brussels, Belgium) presented the work of artist Dany Danino, who’s terrific works of ballpoint pen on paper revealed an alarming subtlety. Even with ballpoint pen, dealing with a contemporary vanitas, Danino creates images of smoky surrealism and doom. Smaller scale works reveal the diversity of the quality of line possible with this simple, quotidien tool.
Laurence Esnol Gallery (Paris 7eme) showed works by H. Craig Hanna. Hanna’s larger oil paintings were also displayed at the Pavillion des Arts & Design, which is taking place concurrently in the Tuileries, but here, the pastels and graphite on displays were really stand outs. His virtousity across a number of mediums (graphite, watercolor, pastel, oil pastel) in depicting the human figure were impressive, if not steeped in a palpable tradition. Hanna’s loosely depicted work evokes the strong, viscéral qualities of the flesh – apparently figurative work is not dead! Works on paper range from 800€ – 5000€, larger scale works and paintings range from 5000€ – 100,000€.
Issue Galerie (Paris 4eme) presented a selection of six works by Henri Wagner, composed of ink on paper. These were remarkably graphic with a really broad range but the best works proposed irrational yet controlled images. Wagner clearly has an adroit touch. His images suggested the obsessively meticulous but expressive handling of his medium much like that of R. Crumb in cases of figuration. These works were often humorously depicted forms in absurd situations, not for everyone, but the type of work you don’t soon forget. Prices ranged from 750€ to 1800€.
Chic Dessin is a promising new art fair, a little more carefully crafted and considered for an art world that is at the same time apprehensive and looking for something fresh. Paris, in particular, is a difficult art world to navigate, being both the epicenter of continental Europe, as well as its own distinct culture. The work on display was very reasonably priced, and the quality overall was very encouraging. Most exciting was the emphasis on collecting for the love and excitement of art, as opposed to investment – Chic Dessin feels like an art fair designed with art lovers in mind.
