Parcours des Mondes 2024: A Showcase of Quality Amid Market Caution

Pauline Loeb at Parcours des Mondes 2024, Paris © artfairmag

Taking place every year in the first days of September, it is, for me, the fair that marks the return after the holidays. And what better way to dive back in than exploring Parcours des Mondes, the largest fair for non-European art. Created in 2002 and today led by Belgian lawyer Yves-Bernard Debie, it brings together, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 60 leading international galleries specializing in tribal art, Asian art, and archaeology.

Under a threatening sky and cool temperatures — a stark contrast to the heatwave of 2023 — this 23rd edition opened. But no matter, the weather was not going to dampen my enthusiasm and excitement. What I love about Parcours des Mondes is stepping into these galleries — often temporary — to admire and sometimes be challenged by the aesthetics of artworks outside Western conventions. And what artworks they are!

An incredible collection of 17 Keaka sculptures (Duende Art Projects), an Amarna funerary mask (GALERIE HARMAKHIS – JACQUES BILLEN), a stunning Senufo divination statue (Didier Claes), a 15th-century Japanese bronze bodhisattva (Galerie Kiyama), a pair of over 2,000-year-old Mexican terracotta dignitaries (Galerie Furstenberg), an expressive Japanese Noh theater mask (Yann Ferrandin), an elegant Yipwon wooden figure nearly 2 meters tall (Galerie Marcellin), a divine maternity figure from Côte d’Ivoire (Bernard de Grunne), and a moving 19th-century anorak made in Alaska from seal skin (Olivier Larroque). This is obviously just a tiny selection of the treasures on display.

I started my visit at Xavier Eeckhout Gallery, which showcased the paintings and drawings of François Avril, this edition’s Carte Blanche artist. I was captivated by his clean, stylized aesthetic, where his use of monochromes or limited colors highlights a striking carmine red or a deep ochre. The way he portrays humans—tiny and elongated in contrast to monumental sculptures—is simply brilliant.

To stay within the realm of contemporary art—quite rare at the fair—I was blown away by the works of Amahiguéré Dolo, one of the greatest Dogon sculptors from Mali, who passed away in 2022. Dolo’s wooden sculptures are a beautiful tribute to nature’s raw forms. He worked with dead or unearthed wood, letting the natural twists, curves, and gaps of the material guide his hands. His sculptures, often featuring hybrid figures, embrace these empty spaces, which he saw as symbols of life’s beginnings—sometimes resembling mouths, eyes, or even the essence of creation itself. There’s something deeply organic and intuitive in the way he allowed the wood to tell its own story.

A significant leap back in time at the stand of Galerie Harmakhis, specialized in Egyptian archaeology, which showcased several exceptional pieces. Among them, a sarcophagus lid from around 1000 BC, a canopic jar featuring Amset from King Farouk’s collection, a bronze sarcophagus of a mongoose, and a polychrome terracotta vase depicting the goddess Hathor, dating back to the reign of Akhenaten.

Galerie Harmakhis at Parcours des Mondes 2024 © artfairmag

I can’t overlook the stunning stand of the Belgian gallery Bernard de Grunne, which showcased a series of African ceramics from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, three of which have now joined the collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Another standout was the Galerie Didier Claes, also based in Belgium, exhibiting Senufo statuary from Côte d’Ivoire, including a charming 20cm figurine with elegant counter-curves and a perfectly balanced arm movement in offering. The acquisition by a French administrator during his mission in Congo and Gabon between 1874 and 1929 highlights the antiquity of this exceptional divination statue.

But the gallery that moved me the most was the Galerie Furstenberg, established on rue Jacob since 1971. Specializing in Surrealism, notably with Salvador Dali’s prints since the gallery’s opening, and in pre-Columbian art since 2001, its founder, Jean-Christophe Argillet, is an approachable and educational enthusiast who is passionate about sharing knowledge. I’m not very familiar with pre-Columbian art, and I was delighted to have access to all of his fascinating explanations.

Galerie Furstenberg at Parcours des Mondes 2024 © artfairmag

Art Dealers Interviews

And here we go for a dive into the world of statuary. Four dealers, four galleries, four statues with very different styles. At Montagut Gallery, the founder, Guilhem Montagut, presented me with a Satimbe mask used during traditional dances by the Dogon people in Mali. Dating back to the 19th century, this incredible mask stands nearly one meter tall! At Duende Art Projects, Bruno Claessens showcased a collection of 17 Keaka sculptures—a first. These abstract representations of the human body were offered various sacrifices for protection and problem-solving. At Gauchet Asiatique Art, Anne Kerviel presented me with an astonishing Japanese bronze Shachihoko from the Meiji period, used as an incense burner. Finally, at Galerie Furstenberg, a true treasure trove, Jean-Christophe Argillet unveiled a pair of Mexican terracotta dignitaries, over 2,000 years old.

How Much Does It Cost?

I was incredibly struck by this ‘Big Mouth Skull’ in wood (English translation) by contemporary artist Amahiguere Dolo, presented by Christophe Person for €14,000. Dolo has the unique ability to work with the natural shapes of the wood pieces he collects, making only slight adjustments to create sculptures that are both powerful and easily recognizable. A much friendlier face is this ‘Smiling Head’ in Mexican terracotta, dating from 500-800 AD, Veracruz culture, sold by Galerie Furstenberg for €3,400. A leap back in time brings us to this Egyptian vase representing the goddess Hathor, created during the reign of Akhenaten, around 1353-1336 BC, offered for sale at Galerie Harmakhis for €120,000.

Despite a challenging international art market, which made even regular collectors more cautious—much to the exhibitors’ dismay—this edition of Parcours des Mondes truly lived up to its promise of quality and diversity. With excellent offerings from around sixty exhibitors, some of whom traveled great distances, the event once again proved to be quite unique in its kind.