{"id":14510,"date":"2025-08-20T16:16:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T16:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/kamel-mennour-donates-180-works-to-musee-dart-moderne-de-paris\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T16:16:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T16:16:14","slug":"kamel-mennour-donates-180-works-to-musee-dart-moderne-de-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/20\/kamel-mennour-donates-180-works-to-musee-dart-moderne-de-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"Kamel Mennour Donates 180 Works to Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kamel Mennour. Courtesy Mennour.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since entering the gallery business 25 years ago, Kamel Mennour<\/a> has focused his efforts on his hometown and become one of the key players in reasserting Paris\u2019s relevance in the contemporary art world at a time when many French dealers were losing ground to London and New York. He recently solidified his geographical commitment with a major donation of 180 contemporary artworks to the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de Paris. On the occasion of the announcement of the gift, Observer caught up with the French-Algerian dealer to trace the evolution of his gallery and reflect on how his decision to maintain a Parisian focus\u2014rather than pursue global expansion\u2014has proven to be the most enduring formula for securing his international reputation without sacrificing his identity or passion.<\/p>\n

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In 1999, Kamel Mennour, with a degree in economics in hand, opened his first gallery in Saint-Germain: a modest 50 square meter space at 60 Rue Mazarine dedicated primarily to contemporary photography. Self-taught in both art and the art business, Mennour had little more than deep passion and a vision at a time when Paris had few new voices in contemporary galleries and even fewer competitors. \u201cParis was an old lady sleeping,\u201d he jokes, recalling a very different city\u2014one of grand museums focused on the past and a handful of legendary dealers from an earlier generation, Yvon Lambert and Daniel Templon among them. Even Emmanuel Perrotin, Thaddaeus Ropac and Almine Rech had only recently opened\u2014all across the river. \u201cI had no competition. There was nothing in front of me,\u201d he says. \u201cI had this vision that I wanted to make it in Paris. Paris was my city.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ugo Rondinone\u2019s \u201cstill\u201d at Mennour in 2024 \u00a9 Ugo Rondinone . Photo. Archives Mennour Courtesy the artist and Mennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mennour trained himself by visiting every gallery and art fair he could. Not long after opening his space, he found himself presenting at FIAC, which was then considered France\u2019s leading international fair even though it was still lacking true selectivity and global appeal. \u201cAt the time, there was a huge gap between Frieze London and FIAC in Paris\u2014and since they were held at the same time, we were always trying to convince our colleagues, especially the Americans, to stay in Europe a bit longer and do both,\u201d he recalls with a smile, noting how a decade later the situation had completely flipped, and Paris had begun to outshine its rival.<\/p>\n

Keen to close that gap, Mennour became deeply involved in the fair\u2019s growth. During its final decade at the Grand Palais, he played a key role in elevating FIAC\u2019s quality and international standing as a member of its selection committee. Alongside fellow top-tier French dealers like Emmanuel Perrotin, Chantal Crousel, Almine Rech and Nathalie Obadia, he helped bring in a more competitive and international roster in the early 2010s, when FIAC was working hard to reclaim relevance from Art Basel. That momentum, however, came to an abrupt halt in 2022, when the global Swiss brand launched its Paris edition and FIAC was sidelined entirely.<\/p>\n

Today, Paris has arguably reclaimed its status as Europe\u2019s leading capital for art and culture\u2014surpassing even London. Mennour confirms that Brexit played a role, but credits the broader renaissance the city experienced just before and after the pandemic. The opening of major private collections and foundations sparked a renewed sense of cultural pride, with institutions vying to revitalize the French scene. \u201cFrancois Pinault had a huge impact\u2014he was buying so much from all the galleries,\u201d Mennour says. \u201cWe used to tell our international colleagues that when they opened in Paris, a visit from Pinault was almost guaranteed if their program was strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pinault\u2019s support, particularly throughout the pandemic, was significant\u2014not just a matter of ego, but a deliberate effort to help rebuild the ecosystem. Then came Bernard Arnault<\/a> with the Fondation Louis Vuitton, introducing a real sense of competition. The Fondation Cartier was already active, and the rise of these private institutions also pushed the public ones\u2014like the Centre Pompidou and Palais de Tokyo\u2014to step up their engagement with contemporary art.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t rivalry in a negative sense, Mennour stresses, but a kind of healthy emulation that invigorated the entire scene. \u201cWe started as a French market but by the end of that chapter, we had become international. We were welcoming collectors and visitors from Asia, the U.S. and all over Europe. Paris had become the place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Idris Khan\u2019s \u201cOn Reflection\u201d at Mennour in 2025. \u00a9 Idri s Khan. Photo. Archives Mennour Courtesy the artist and Mennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mennour has, of course, firmly established his name in the contemporary art world. He now operates four spaces\u2014all in Paris\u2014and represents some of the most compelling artists of the past decade, while continuing to champion rising talents from the French scene. Many of these artists were exceptionally young and living and creating in Paris when he began working with them\u2014figures like Camille Henrot<\/a>, Latifa Echakhch<\/a>, Ali Cherri<\/a>, Kader Attia<\/a> and Hicham Berrada<\/a>. Notably, Mennour is one of the dealers who has brought the most nominees to the Marcel Duchamp Prize\u2014nine in total. That visibility, combined with the gallery\u2019s focused and ambitious program, earned him an early invitation to Art Basel in Basel. \u201cI believe we were invited in 2006,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThey gave us the worst possible spot, but I was just happy to be there less than a decade after opening. It was the moment when foreigners really began to look at French galleries and artists, and I was one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mennour notes that many of the French artists who emerged at the time also came from diasporic backgrounds\u2014Latifa Echakhch from Morocco, Petrit Halilaj<\/a> from Kosovo, Kader Attia from Algeria. \u201cThey were French artists, but they brought other roots and perspectives\u2014and that gave the scene a real injection of energy and vitality,\u201d he explains. Mennour was among the first to support many of them, long before they became globally known household names.<\/p>\n

From the beginning, Mennour was drawn to artists with strong institutional resonance, but his decision to represent diasporic narratives reflected his own French-Algerian identity. \u201cI\u2019m very French, but I\u2019m also originally from Algiers. I studied entirely in French universities, but growing up, I moved between France and Algeria,\u201d he explains. \u201cI spoke to my mother in Algerian Arabic while living in France\u2014it gave me a dual lens.\u201d At the time, artists from similar backgrounds were rarely represented in the mainstream. \u201cI was proud to be one of the people helping bring their work to a broader audience. It was incredibly rewarding, and the response was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mennour was among the first to champion many of these artists, and while most are now represented by major international galleries, he has managed to maintain close relationships with them that often continue through co-representation.<\/p>\n

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Mennour operates four exhibition spaces in Paris, at 47 Rue Saint\u2011Andr\u00e9\u2011des\u2011Arts (the original), 5 Rue du Pont de Lodi, 6 Rue du Pont de Lodi and 28 Avenue Matignon. \u00a9 Gaston Chaissac , Adagp, Paris, 2025. Photo. Archives Mennour Courtesy the artist and Mennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the outset, Mennour deliberately chose not to open in New York or Hong Kong. Instead, he chose to grow with his artists from Paris. Rather than risk losing them, he remained open to collaboration with larger galleries, frequently initiating those connections himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t just allow those connections; I facilitated them,\u201d he tells Observer. \u201cI studied economics, so I understood early on that if you ignore what an artist needs, you\u2019ll lose them. So I helped bring artists like Camille Henrot to Hauser & Wirth, knowing that one day she might need something I couldn\u2019t offer, like a strong New York infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

That foresight allowed Mennour to preserve many of those relationships even as the artists on his roster gained global visibility. But his approach didn\u2019t just apply to emerging voices; it also extended to overlooked figures from the vibrant French scenes of the \u201950s, \u201960s, and \u201970s. While well-established domestically, many had yet to receive the international recognition they deserved. Mennour made it a priority to help bring their work to a broader stage.<\/p>\n

One of these artists was Daniel Buren<\/a>. When he ended his long-standing relationship with Marian Goodman, instead of returning to established French dealers like Yvon Lambert, Durand-Dessert or even Daniel Templon, he chose to join Mennour. \u201cIt was a huge surprise\u2014I was incredibly proud and happy,\u201d Mennour recalls. That moment made him realize he had something meaningful to offer even to artists with long, celebrated careers: a chance to reframe their work in dialogue with a new generation. \u201cI helped reposition their practices in conversation with younger voices. It was mutually beneficial\u2014they elevated the gallery\u2019s program, and I introduced their work to a new audience. I was selling works by Buren or Fran\u00e7ois Morellet to collectors my age.\u201d<\/p>\n

This September, Mennour\u2019s gallery at six rue du Pont de Lodi will present a show pairing American Light and Space pioneer Larry Bell<\/a> with contemporary Californian painter Liam Everett<\/a>. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with Hauser & Wirth, underscores Mennour\u2019s continued interest in intergenerational dialogue.<\/p>\n

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Sidival Fila\u2019s \u201cA rose is a rose is a rose\u201d at Mennour in 2024. \u00a9 Sidival Fila Photo. A rchives M ennour Courtesy the artist and M ennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the same time, he has continued to expand his roster on the more emerging and experimental end, recently bringing in young talents like Elizabeth Jagger<\/a> and Cameron Jamie<\/a>. The result is a program that bridges generations strikingly without losing coherence.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, Mennour launched the Mennour \u00c9mergence prize, a program supporting six or seven emerging artists each year, selected from some of France\u2019s top art schools, including the \u00c9cole des Beaux-Arts, Arts D\u00e9coratifs and ENSAV La Cambre. The selection is made by an independent committee; Mennour himself deliberately steps back from the process. Instead, the jury includes respected figures from major institutions and foundations. Last year, curators from the Palais de Tokyo and other leading voices in the art world joined forces with the gallery\u2019s director to choose the finalists.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal is to generate energy and sustain the vitality of the scene, which I believe is essential for a gallery like mine, now 25 years old,\u201d he explains. \u201cI want to stay in touch with what\u2019s being created today\u2014with the avant-garde, with the evolving vocabulary of contemporary art. I want to stay in the race and keep understanding the time I live in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crucially, even while participating in this increasingly global and fast-paced industry, Kamel Mennour has never lost sight of his original focus or passion. He remains anchored to the values that have guided his program since day one\u2014a clarity of purpose that has helped him avoid the burnout and disorientation experienced by many of his peers.<\/p>\n

Mennour has always been extremely close with Tim Blum<\/a>, who hails from the same generation. \u201cI think Tim ultimately became disillusioned with the art world. He was stretched between Los Angeles and Tokyo, and he was preparing to open in New York. It was simply too much. I was lucky\u2014maybe I didn\u2019t know it consciously, but I could sense that this model of constant global expansion wasn\u2019t sustainable,\u201d he says, looking back on the choices that shaped his own path. \u201cHaving galleries everywhere means having to constantly feed them, constantly push your artists and eventually, something gets lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Mennour, the profession remains deeply personal. \u201cIf an artist has a problem, I call them. We sit down for lunch. If something isn\u2019t working with a show or an institution, I take the car\u2014or the m\u00e9tro\u2014and go fix it. That\u2019s how I\u2019ve always worked,\u201d he explains. \u201cOnce your galleries are in New York, Hong Kong, Seoul\u2026 you lose your head. And more importantly, you risk losing the relationship. I knew that, and I chose to stay focused instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

In recent years, Mennour has also taken a strategic approach to the fair circuit\u2014maintaining international visibility without overextending. \u201cI don\u2019t do all of them. I\u2019ve always prioritized depth of commitment over ubiquity,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd now that we\u2019re seeing the fatigue\u2014galleries closing, burnout everywhere<\/a>\u2014I\u2019m grateful I made that choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Eug\u00e8ne Atget and Eug\u00e8ne Carri\u00e8re\u2019s \u201cContemporains\u201d at Mennour in 2025. \u00a9 Eug\u00e8ne Carri\u00e8re Courtesy Succession Carri\u00e8re and Mennour, Paris | \u00a9 Eug\u00e8ne Atget Photo. Archives Mennour Courtesy the artists and Mennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although a recent survey of the members of France\u2019s Professional Committee of Art Galleries (CPGA) found that 85 percent of its 324 members were pessimistic about the economic outlook for the art sector this year<\/a>, Mennour remains optimistic\u2014both about Paris and the global art market. For him, this is simply a necessary recalibration after a boom that was neither sustainable nor realistic.<\/p>\n

He has built something enduring\u2014a brand that is global in visibility yet firmly rooted in Paris, defined by a clear identity and deep community ties. Those ties are something he has always valued, and now, as he begins to consider his legacy, he\u2019s looking to affirm them even further. While his son\u2014who shares his passion for art\u2014is set to take over the business, Mennour\u2019s major donation to the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne de Paris stands as both a gift to the city and a powerful statement of his long-term commitment to nurturing its cultural and artistic life.<\/p>\n

As to how it came about, after he donated works to the Centre Pompidou, the director of the Mus\u00e9e d\u2019Art Moderne approached him\u2014half-jokingly\u2014saying, \u201cWith the Pompidou closing, maybe you should consider me!\u201d Mennour took it seriously. \u201cOver the years, I\u2019ve accumulated a huge number of works\u2014many from artists I\u2019ve shown and supported,\u201d he says. As a gallerist, he often bought pieces from each exhibition, particularly those that didn\u2019t sell, as a way of helping his artists. \u201cI\u2019d usually buy two or three works myself, and often they were the most interesting ones. That was my way of showing support,\u201d he explains. \u201cSo after 25 years, my storage became a kind of metaphor reflecting the history of the program.\u201d<\/p>\n

The donation includes works by more than forty-five artists who have shaped the trajectory of contemporary art in recent decades. The group spans rising voices such as Alicja Kwade<\/a>, Petrit Halilaj, Mohamed Bourouissa, Camille Henrot, Latifa Echakhch and Dhewadi Hadjab<\/a>, as well as seminal figures like Yona Friedman<\/a>, Fran\u00e7ois Morellet, Gina Pane<\/a>, Bertrand Lavier<\/a>, Anish Kapoor<\/a>, Daniel Buren, Ugo Rondinone<\/a>, Lee Ufan<\/a>, Douglas Gordon<\/a>, Huang Yong Ping<\/a>, Tadashi Kawamata<\/a>, Zineb Sedira<\/a> and Philippe Parreno<\/a>. Together, these works embody the diversity, ambition and critical influence that have defined Mennour\u2019s program since its founding in 1999.<\/p>\n

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Huguette Caland\u2019s \u201cLes ann\u00e9es parisiennes (1970-1987)\u201d at Mennour in 2024. \u00a9 Huguette Caland . Photo. Archives Mennour Courtesy the estate of Huguette Caland and Mennour, Paris<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mennour worked closely with his team to assemble the selection, with plans to display them in a way that draws connections across time, media and artistic practices\u2014a thread that traces the evolution of the gallery\u2019s program. The donation is a significant gift to the museum, which operates with a minimal acquisition budget and typically receives donations only after a collector passes away. \u201cThis happened while we\u2019re both still active\u2014he\u2019s still building the museum\u2019s collection, and I\u2019m not too old yet,\u201d Mennour notes. \u201cSo it felt timely and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gift has also made a large-scale exhibition possible, set to open in 2027. \u201cFor me, it was a gift,\u201d Mennour concludes. \u201cI was so pleased\u2014and in many ways, it felt like a way to truly cement and celebrate my connection with Paris. This donation is a tribute to Paris\u2014the city that shaped me and continues to inspire my work.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Arts interviews<\/b><\/h3>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Kamel<\/p><\/div>\n