Clément Delépine, the current director of Art Basel Paris, has been named the new director of Lafayette Anticipations, one of Paris's most prominent contemporary art exhibition spaces. The appointment marks a significant leadership transition for the nonprofit foundation, which is affiliated with the iconic Galeries Lafayette department store.
Delépine will succeed Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, who has served as director for the past six years and has decided to pursue new personal and professional opportunities. He is scheduled to begin his new role on November 17, just a few weeks after this year's Art Basel Paris concludes. The fair opens to VIP attendees on October 22, and Art Basel has confirmed that a search for Delépine's replacement is currently underway.
Since its establishment in 2012, Lafayette Anticipations has built a reputation for its ambitious exhibition programming, featuring a high-profile roster of international artists. Recent exhibitions have showcased the work of contemporary artists including Martine Syms, Issy Wood, Cyprien Gaillard, Martin Margiela, and Wu Tsang. The organization operates from a renovated 19th-century industrial building in Le Marais district, which reopened in 2018 following an extensive renovation led by renowned architect Rem Koolhaas and his firm OMA.
Guillaume Houzé, president of Lafayette Anticipations and great-grandson of one of Galeries Lafayette's founders, praised the outgoing director's contributions. "I would like to thank Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel for everything she has done leading the Foundation over the past six years, and I appreciate her energy, vision and hard work, which shaped our programming and bolstered the unique place Lafayette Anticipations occupies in the Parisian and international cultural landscape," Houzé stated. He added that Delépine's arrival "represents the start of an exciting new chapter for Lafayette Anticipations in support of contemporary creation."
Delépine was appointed as director of Art Basel Paris in March 2022, shortly after Art Basel announced its decision to launch a French fair. The company secured the coveted October dates at the Grand Palais, previously held by the longtime French fair FIAC. Initially, the fair was to be called "Paris+ par Art Basel," with the plus symbol intended to signal more ambitious programming than Art Basel's other locations in Hong Kong, Miami Beach, and Basel, Switzerland. The original vision included a citywide program designed to create dialogue between Paris's various cultural industries, spanning fashion, design, film, and music, though these broader ambitions never fully materialized.
Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz expressed appreciation for Delépine's contributions to the Paris fair's establishment. "I warmly congratulate Clément on his appointment as director of Lafayette Anticipations," Horowitz said. "His spirited leadership and vision have been central to establishing Art Basel Paris as such a strong fixture on the international stage in just three years, and we wish him only the best as he embarks on his next chapter. We are fully focused on working with Clément and the team to execute a stellar Paris edition next month, and continuing to deliver for our clients on a global basis beyond this."
Before joining Art Basel Paris, Delépine served as director of Paris Internationale, an independent art fair founded by a group of galleries in 2015, where he worked from 2016 to 2021. His earlier career includes positions as a director at New York's Bortolami Gallery and at the Swiss Institute, also located in New York. This background provides him with extensive experience in both the commercial and nonprofit sectors of the contemporary art world.
Reflecting on his new appointment, Delépine expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the opportunity. "I feel incredibly fortunate to join Lafayette Anticipations and take over from Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, whose vision I have admired over the past six years," he said. "I have considerable affection for this institution and I am honored by the trust Guillaume Houzé has placed in me. I am looking forward to further affirming its unique positioning on the French and international art scene." He also acknowledged his experience at Art Basel Paris, stating, "It has been a privilege to direct Art Basel Paris and I would like to express my immense gratitude to Noah Horowitz, Vincenzo de Bellis and all the teams at Art Basel for their trust and support."
