BAD+ 2024: The fair roots itself in the Bordeaux region with a third edition rich in partnerships

Pauline Loeb emerging from Jim Shaw’s Montezuma’s Revenge, 2007. Collection of CAPC museum of Bordeaux © Pauline Loeb 

After a second visit to Château Kirwan, which also houses a beautiful and eclectic art collection, and a delicious Gala dinner by Michelin-starred chef Matthieu Vianney right in Hangar 14, it was time for the fair itself! 

Spanning two floors of this iconic Bordeaux venue, the forty galleries enjoyed plenty of space, making it very pleasant to explore. On the ground floor, the standout booth of the excellent Belgian gallery La Patinoire Royale Bach was a burst of color, featuring ceramics and canvases by the Hell’O collective as well as the monochrome pop works of Spanish artist Jaime Hayon. In a much more monochrome yet extremely poetic register, the stand of Nadja Vilenne, based in Liège, showcased two large pieces by Valérie Sonnier representing Le Bassin des Beaux-Art, along with a series of five photographs simply titled ‘Séquence II’ depicting a small bouquet of snowdrops in a vase, viewed from different angles.

Art Dealers Interviews

And because design is too underrepresented in the fairs I visit, I wanted to ask Mia Karlova about the incredible work with walnut by Jordi Sarrate – a large table, a console, and a stool, all three tinted in a beautiful indigo. At the NM Gallery booth, founder Natalia Maslova introduced me to the raw porcelain sculptures by Barcelona-based artist Sofia Karnukaeva, some of which were mounted as lamps. I stayed with ceramics (I love this medium) at Valérie Bach, who told me about the works of the Hell’O collective, a duo of Belgian artists from the graffiti world, Jérôme Meynen and Antoine Detaille. Finally, I couldn’t resist having Javier Lopez from 3 Punts Galeria show me the quirky and amusing work of Gerard Mas.

How Much Does It Cost?

Varied works, just like the fair itself, that I particularly enjoyed, at very reasonable prices. You needed to pay €4,800 at La Patinoire Bach to take home one of the three colorful ceramic icons. Even though it’s not easy to recover from, I would have loved to place in the middle of my living room that incredible chair by Vadim Kibardin, made entirely of paper and cardboard, for which Mia Karlova was asking €6,050. At Anne-Sarah Bénichou’s booth, a small still life by Mireille Blanc, titled ‘Magnolia,’ was offered for €4,500, while at the By Lara Sedbon stand, a small piece by Stephen Whittaker was available for €2,800.

What I’ll remember from my visit to BAD+ is a wonderful eclecticism with quality works for a wide range of collectors, from seasoned to first-time buyers. Perhaps a slight disappointment in the relatively low proportion of design galleries, but this was more than compensated for by the genuine warmth, both from the organizers and the dealers, which truly brought a smile to my face.