The September 2020 edition of Maison & Objet will not take place in its traditional form. At the very beginning of the year, Maison & Objet presented Franklin Azzi as the Designer of the Year for the next September edition. During the confinement, it was said that the show would be maintained; but the final decision has been made on June 11th. To respond to this exceptional situation, the international fair has adapted and suggested to artists, designers, brands and buyers to participate in a digital edition. It is an alternative and a logical continuation of the work done beforehand on the online platform MOM (Maison&Objet and More), which was initially launched in 2016.
// Digital Fair
Maison & Objet’s Digital Fair will take place from September 4th to 18th, 2020 and will aim to support artists and designers during this challenging period in order to maintain the connection between brands and buyers. This digital edition is also divided in two parts. The stands, replaced by digital showrooms, are going to be made in the spirit of the traditional staging of the show. In this way, brands will be able to connect with nearly 400,000 buyers from all over the world. The traditional conferences, replaced by digital talks, will be accessible to all on the Maison & Objet website and on social networks reaching an ever larger audience.
Even though the show has been digitalized, its function remains the same: to understand and respond to the needs of all living spaces. These online spaces allow people of design and art to discover novelties and new trends.
// The Paris Design Week is maintained from September 3rd to 12th, 2020
The French capital will once again become, as it does every year, the place to be for design brands and buyers who come to discuss their collections physically.
In parallel with Maison & Objet, Paris Design Week will take place in five districts with distinct characteristics. Showrooms and temporary design and decoration boutiques will once again welcome visitors this year to present their new collections in compliance with health regulations. Indeed, for this new edition, access will be exclusively reserved for professionals from the world of design to ensure a more restricted and targeted traffic. Like every year, many galleries will welcome design brands. The Gallery MR8, rue des Francs Bourgeois, will host Maison Matisse on the occasion of Paris Design Week. This event is open to the public on September 4th and 5th.
// Uncertainties persist
There is still a great deal of uncertainty as to government authorizations to organize events that can bring together thousands of people, as well as the possibility for foreign buyers or exhibitors to travel to France. A couple key event names, such as the FIAC, haven’t yet pronounced their decision for the upcoming events. After postponing the Milan Fair to 2021and the digitalization of Maison & Objet, a decision should be made soon regarding the 47th edition of the International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC), a key event for the art world in Paris.
For the moment, FIAC is going to be held from October 21st to 25th at Grand Palais. This event raises questions because some major market players cannot participate for logistical reasons, particularly because of travel restrictions. Some exhibitors expressed their fear in this uncertain health context but indicated their willingness to exhibit in a redesigned format.
In 2019, the FIAC brought together nearly 199 galleries from 28 different countries, registering 74,580 admissions in just five days. FIAC is the third largest contemporary art fair after Art Basel in Basel, Switzerland and the Frieze in London (whose 2020 edition was cancelled). Everyone is staying tuned for what will happen next and if galleries will exhibit within the trade shows or look for smaller dispersed locations within their cities such as Paris Design Week.
MR Agency participates actively in the organization of these important events in the world of design and contemporary art. We offer designers and artists the opportunity to exhibit in a safe and smaller format within our 15 venues in the heart of the most fashionable districts of the capital. The success of your event is our priority. If you haven’t yet found a space for your next presentation don’t hesitate any longer to get in contact with us.
