The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art has inaugurated a stunning new home in central Paris, directly opposite the Louvre Museum. The vast, light-filled space, designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, opens its doors to the public this Saturday.
The new Fondation Cartier occupies a striking glass structure that offers 6,500 square metres of exhibition space within a renovated Haussmann-era complex that once housed an antiques market. Its location—within a prestigious cultural district that includes the Louvre, the Comédie Française, and the Bourse de Commerce—places it at the very heart of Paris’s artistic life.
Established in 1984 by luxury jeweller Cartier, the foundation previously operated from a smaller site in southern Paris, also designed by Nouvel. The move marks a significant expansion, positioning the institution as a leading destination for contemporary art in Europe.
Nouvel described the design as “a journey into the future” and “a museum of the 21st century.” The new structure features five mobile steel platforms that can be reconfigured to alter the flow of light and space. The architect explained that the design draws inspiration “as much from aircraft carriers as from the theatre,” blending strength and creativity in a dynamic environment for art.
According to Fondation Cartier’s director, Chris Dercon, the relocation to Paris’s historic cultural centre is “worthy of the scale of the collection and its history.” The foundation’s new setting situates it among some of the most iconic institutions in the world, including the Louvre and the Museum of Decorative Arts.
The foundation holds a collection of more than 4,500 works by 500 contemporary artists, including Damien Hirst, David Lynch, Joan Mitchell, Patti Smith, Chéri Samba, Raymond Depardon, and Malick Sidibé. Its inaugural exhibition, titled General Exhibition, presents 600 rotating works that highlight key moments and achievements from the foundation’s 41-year history.
The project represents a significant investment in France’s cultural landscape, with total costs estimated at €230 million, according to Fondation Cartier’s president, Alain Dominique Perrin.
As Paris prepares for the temporary closure of the Pompidou Centre—which is undergoing extensive renovations until 2030—the new Fondation Cartier promises to be a major destination for art lovers from around the world.
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