PARIS.- It was unanimously declared that this year, there was a significant step up in the quality of the fair through its attendance and the art on offer. A wealth of acquisitions and fruitful professional encounters took place in the general sector and the curated Insight and Process areas.

While the overall number of visitors remained stable at around 18,000, the number of national and international collectors and representatives of major French and foreign institutions increased significantly. Despite the prevailing climate, Drawing Now Paris contributed to build up public and private collections. The 71 Parisian, regional and international galleries took particular care in their displays, often with works never shown before or even created especially for the fair. This innovative selection was sure to motivate collectors, art lovers, and curators alike.

This 18th edition of the fair confirmed its role as a professional meeting place for galleries, artists, independent curators, institutions, researchers and journalists. Its dimension, the presence of artists whose work is highlighted by at least a 30% focus in each booth of the general sector, as well as the more immersive Process and Insight sectors, contribute to this phenomenon. This unique format of the contemporary drawing market creates an ideal setting for French and international institutions to devise projects and exhibitions.

Collectors such as Danielle Marcovici, Antonio Saint Silvestre, Richard Treguer, Laurent Fiévet, Alexis Kolnikoff, Evelyne and Jacques Deret, Thierry Forien, Antoine de Galbert, Florence and Daniel Guerlain were enthusiastic attendees of the fair, some of them making new acquisitions.

As a catalyst for professional encounters, the fair welcomes a number of independent curators, including Audrey Illouz, Jean-Marc Dimanche, Gregory Lang, Fabienne Bideaud, Marianne Derrien, Claire Luna, Estelle Marois, Alfred Pacquement, Marc Donnadieu and Jérôme Sans…

French and international institutions directly connected with drawing or representing it in their programs and collections were present at the event, including Claudine Grammont (Centre Pompidou), Pamela Guerdat and Nathalie Chaix (Musée Jenisch), Édouard Kopp (Menil Drawing Institute), Josua Walbrodt (Kurpfälzisches Museum Heidelberg), Claire Gilman (Morgan Library & Museum), Kate McFarlane (Drawing Room), Anette Gehrig (Cartoonmuseum Basel), Joachim Homann (Harvard Museum), Irina Zucca Alessandrelli (Fondazione Ramo). Naturally, major institutions were also committed to visiting the fair, such as Pascal Gabet (Musée d’Orsay), Laurent Le Bon and Xavier Rey (Centre Pompidou), Andrea Busto (Museo Ettore Fico), Béatrice Salmon (Cnap), Edward de Lumley (Drac Paca), Daria de Beauvais and Guillaume Desanges (Palais de Tokyo), Sarah Ganz Blythe (Harvard Museum)...

The direction of Drawing Now Paris also welcomed numerous patron organisations with bespoke visits, including Friends of MAM, Friends of the Centre Pompidou, Friends of the Palais de Tokyo, Friends of MAD, Friends of the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Friends of Quai Branly, Friends of Artaïs, Friends of Société Générale, Benefactors and Donors of Orsay, Friends of MEP, Harvard Museum...

Moreover, the guided tours led by Le Décodeur d’Art were a great success. They unveiled the highlights of this 18th edition, from the Drawing Now 2025 Award to the exhibition Drawn codes : urban notations, intimate writings (collections from the Centre National d’Arts Plastiques and Frac Picardie), as well as the themed circuits and the three sectors of the fair.

Furthermore, the return of curated circuits enabled galleries to shine through their selections, highlighted from a professional and passionate take: the “Coups de Coeur” circuit by architect and designer Pierre Yovanovitch; Parallax, selected by Claudine Grammont (Centre Pompidou), Elsy Lahner (Albertina Museum), and the artistic director; and LIGHT LEAK, In the night through which we pass, curated by art critic and independent curator Claire Luna. These tours encouraged visitors to rediscover drawing from a different perspective, enabling Drawing Now Paris to put forward the diversity and depth of contemporary drawing practices. By collaborating with curators and key figures in the art and architecture fields, this 2025 edition offered what could be considered as three “treasure hunts”, praised by the press and appreciated by galleries and visitors alike.

The exhibition Drawn codes : urban notations, intimate writings, curated by Joana P. R. Neves, artistic director of the fair, in collaboration with the regional and national collections of the Frac Picardie (a partner for four years) and the Centre National des Arts Plastiques, delighted the visitors. It provided insight into the recent history of contemporary drawing, featuring major figures such as Jacques Villeglé and Ben, while also showcasing emerging artists shaping the present, including Gabriel Folli (Galerie La Ferronnerie) and Violaine Lochu (Analix Forever). This unique opportunity allowed the public to discover national collections and the role of drawing in key art movements.

The Drawing Now Award has once again taken on an international dimension by honouring the work of Susanna Inglada, represented by the Dutch gallery Maurits van de Laar (The Hague). The Spanish artist combines drawing, installation, and visual arts, infusing them with a strong theatrical dimension. After studying art and theatre in Spain, Inglada continued her studies in the Netherlands and Belgium. Her work has been included in several collections, such as the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam (Netherlands), DOM Museum Vienna (Austria), ING Bank Art Collection (Belgium and the Netherlands), and Fundacion Monte Madrid (Spain). This year, she will participate in group exhibitions at Casa Encendida (Spain) and Boijmans Museum (Netherlands). In addition to an immediate grant of €5,000, Inglada will have a solo exhibition at Drawing Lab (Paris 1st arrondissement) from January to April 2026, which will be open to visitors, professionals, and art enthusiasts during the 19th edition of Drawing Now Paris.

Spring has been the season of drawing for the eighth consecutive year! With 86 participating institutions in 2025 including national monuments, art libraries, FRAC, and art centres—the Printemps du Dessin accompanies drawing programs across France. It fosters valuable encounters between artists and audiences of all backgrounds with drawing is a means to create social engagement.

For one week, Drawing Now Paris and the Salon du Dessin offer a complete immersion into the world of drawing, from its origins to its most avant-garde forms. This partnership enhances the international influence of the Parisian art scene, establishing Paris as the capital of drawing and celebrating the splendour of this timeless art form.