Less than two months after announcing the surprise departure of its director, Art Basel Paris has a new leader in Karim Crippa, who currently runs the fair’s communications department.
Crippa, who also serves as senior editor of Art Basel’s editorial arm, will officially assume his new role on November 1, about a week after the current edition of Art Basel Paris closes. Prior to joining Art Basel in 2022, he held posts at institutions such as the Haus der Kunst in Munich and Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary in Madrid.
“I will do everything in my power to help advance this exceptional show and to remain a tireless advocate for the city of Paris, our exhibitors, partners and Art Basel’s global mission,” Crippa said in a statement. “Working alongside gallerists, artists, writers, institutional representatives, collectors and creatives for the last 15 years has only ever strengthened my commitment to the worlds of art and culture.”
Noah Horowitz, the fair’s CEO, said in a statement that Crippa’s appointment “reflects our belief in cultivating talent from within and empowering team members who have grown alongside the evolution of Art Basel itself.”
Art Basel Paris’s last director, Clément Delépine, left the fair in September to join Lafayette Anticipations, a Paris art space known for its large-scale commissions by contemporary artists. He begins there on November 17.
The Paris event, currently in its fourth edition, is one of five in Art Basel’s portfolio. The fair recently announced plans to launch an edition in Qatar.
This year’s Art Basel Paris saw one major shift: the introduction of a pre-opening event, termed Avant-Première by the fair, that allows exhibitors to invite up to six people of their choosing before the VIP day. While collectors and blue-chip dealers seemed pleased with the event, some smaller and medium-sized galleries who participated told ARTnews that Avant-Première left something to be desired.
