Air de Paris, a leading French contemporary art gallery, has withdrawn from the 2025 edition of Art Basel in Switzerland after a dispute over booth placement. The gallery was offered a less desirable second-row spot (N3) despite its long history of prime placement (L23) on the second floor. Cofounders Florence Bonnefous and Edouard Merino described the allocation process as "brutal and unfair" in a letter to the fair, which was circulated online. Art Basel defended its decision, stating that placement is at its sole discretion and made in consideration of all 290 participating galleries.
This dispute highlights the intense power dynamics and hierarchy within the art fair system, where booth location directly impacts a gallery's visibility, prestige, and sales. Art Basel, as the world's most important art fair, amplifies these stakes, making placement a critical issue for exhibitors. The withdrawal of a long-time participant like Air de Paris underscores growing tensions between galleries and fair organizers over transparency and respect, potentially signaling broader dissatisfaction among dealers with the current allocation process.