The 26th edition
During 3 days, between the 25.11.2022 until the 27.11.2022 the European capital of Strasbourg organize and present to the public it's regional art fair: ST-ART (A contraction of Strasbourg and Art). Organized in the new Strasbourg Exhibition Center, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the fair is housed in the Hall 1 (6 138 m²).
With those 6 138 m², the fair is presenting 46 galleries, mostly coming from France and Alsace such as: AEDAEN, KRAEMER GALLERY, Galerie SCHANEWALD, etc. From this quit short selection of galleries, you might think this fair have a good level, since it's been around for 26 editions, it's one of the oldest art fair in France, outside of Paris. But, you are wrong...
The true story..
ST-ART, the art fair of Strasbourg was created 26 years ago, at the time when the art sector of Strasbourg was growing, between the upcoming inauguration of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Strasbourg, and the growing scale of art fairs in Germany or Switzerland. To fight his place as an important art city, Strasbourg had the first edition of ST-ART in 1995.
Since them, the fair has had important and prestigious galleries and institutions such as Fondation Maeght, Venet Foundation, Museu Picasso Barcelona, and galleries such as kamel mennour letting the works of those institutions seeing by the visitors of the fair and being amazed by their techniques, their art making, and their important in the history of art. Since then, the group of organiser is not the same, and the fair is slowly degrading itself.
When I arrive at the press conference, I feel like I was at a decoration shop. Of course, the space of the new Strasbourg Exhibition Center is beautiful, but there is not a lot of galleries or a least good one. Most of the works I saw were copies of artworks inspired by Banksy, "art" made by "artist" or "street-art" of bad qualities. All in all, it's a good place if you want to add some ugly stuff to your house at a high price.
Beside my negative review, there were beautiful works by Georges Mathieu, Bernard Buffet, Gérard Schneider, or event Niki de Saint Phalle, Jacques Villeglé and Robert Combas.
Now, the fair need to reinvent itself. After 26 editions the fair need to think about the gallery they want to have, the level of the galleries and to open the selection to galleries from Germany and Switzerland.
Compared to fair such as Luxembourg Art Week, which is only a few years old, ST-ART need to rethink its communication strategies, its production, its selection, the service they offer and to choose ART, not """art""".
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Parc des expositions
Avenue Herrenschmidt
67000 Strasbourg
Date: 25-27.11.2022
Ticket: Available on the website of ST-ART.