Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain will open its highly anticipated new Paris gallery at Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre, on 25 October 2025. The inaugural exhibition, Exposition Générale (running until 23 August 2026), features over 600 works by more than 100 artists, drawn from the foundation's collection of around 4,500 pieces. Designed by Italian studio Formafantasma, the show is organized into four thematic sections—Machines d’architecture, Être nature, Making Things, and un monde réel—and includes works by Sarah Sze, Rinko Kawauchi, Patti Smith, James Turrell, Vija Celmins, Joan Mitchell, Damien Hirst, and others. The building, part of the former Louvre des Antiquaires complex, was reconfigured by architect Jean Nouvel, adding 6,500 sq. m of exhibition space with a library, auditorium, and restaurant.
This move matters because it significantly expands the footprint of one of Europe's most prominent private-sector cultural institutions in central Paris, boosting the city's contemporary art scene. By laying open its 40-year collection in a historic location tied to the 1889 Exposition Universelle, Fondation Cartier signals a shift toward greater transparency and public access. The foundation's commitment to transdisciplinary programming and international focus—including a future exhibition on Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama—underscores its role in elevating underrepresented artists and fostering cross-cultural dialogue.