I V Y paris is 'Been There' guest in the Guardian

The Guardian has asked IVY paris for our take on the underground art scene of the city. Read our full article Art in the Banlieues of Paris in their Travel section.

As much as we Brits and Yanks would love to find some version of our own Hackney or Williamsburg, here there is little need for an underground. With its (champagne) socialist town hall, the city has always provided plenty of funding, space and publicity for the arts, so who needs to be a starving artist?

If you've traipsed through the contemporary galleries and experienced the numerous publicly endorsed events you will likely be left feeling a little underwhelmed. There isn't the competition (and with it perhaps the excitement) of London or New York. Even the famous art squats like Les-Frigos in the 13th arrondissement are now funded by the city. So much for sticking it to the man ... 

Photo by Danielle Voirin

Comments

[Gail Shamchenko]

I am a native new york city person and was around when the art capital of the world was in Paris. I would be calling the word excitement that you use to be synomiuos with abuse and competition as strangulation of the basic moral fiber of what is beautiful. There is greed in our midst and it is about time that Paris claims back what is rightfully there's for they now how to deal with respectability for culture and art.

[S. Bincer]

You can't turn the clock back ,whether you like what is happening or not. Paris has still a way to go before it even catches up with New York and other large cities. Parisians do not buy much contemporary art, mostly foreign collectors do. This does not mean that there aren't exceptional artist in Paris but I cringe whenever I hear the expression at an exhibition:" oh, c'est ravissant!" That means that the artwork they are looking at is "ravishing, delightful, charming." Let' s not go back to that! Nothing is "rightfully their's" unless it's earned now.
As an artist and acute observer I divide my time 5o/5o between Paris and the US.

P.S. I suggest using spell check.

[adrian]

It's true, Paris isn't like New York or London. But I'm wondering if the current state of the art market and scene in both those cities isn't telling.

If I'm an artist or an art critic, I'm delighted for the fact that there are government funded institutes that invest heavily in the arts.

Check NYC and the private foundations there, and see what sort of programs they're rolling out...