You can’t miss it if you’re passing by. Standing on the forecourt of the Grand Palais, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, a 10-meter-tall green inflatable bear leaps into view for Art Paris 2026. Its name is Ted Hyber, and it is the work of Fabrice Hyber, the French multidisciplinary artist born in 1961 in Luçon, a member of the Académie des beaux-arts and one of the most prominent figures on the contemporary scene. Presented by Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris / Brussels), these two inflatable structures are installed at the main entrance for the entire duration of the fair’s 28th edition, through April 12, 2026.
The Ted Hyber, a portmanteau of Teddy Bear and the artist’s own name, made his debut in Fabrice Hyber’s work in 1998. He belongs to a family of humanoid figures the artist has dubbed the Hyber heroes: the ghost, Santa Claus, the sponge man, the man from Bessines, the cellular man... There are now more than thirty of them. Each of these mutated figures embodies a particular behavior, a growing awareness, a questioning of life. The Ted Hyber is the central character in this gallery of heroes, with which Fabrice Hyber has identified himself since the very beginning of his career.
The two sculptures aren’t here by accident. The green PVC bear, its hue echoing chlorophyll, stands as a protective totem—a bright, hopeful beacon in the face of the ecological emergency. It was originally created for the …de la Vallée exhibition at the Power Station of Shanghai in 2025, continuing the thread of a retrospective shown at the Fondation Cartier in 2022–2023. The second piece, a 5‑meter-tall, translucent sculpture named Ted Hyb'Air, was specially produced for Art Paris 2026. It signifies a shelter from pollution, a reservoir of oxygen to safeguard living beings. Taken together, the two works deliver a clear message: to remind us of the ecological crisis we are facing and to keep alive the hope of engaging with it.
Fabrice Hyber's presence at Art Paris 2026 goes beyond these two monumental sculptures. He is among the 21 artists selected for the thematic route Babel - Art and Language in France, conceived by Loïc Le Gall, which examines sign systems and linguistic structures in contemporary French art. Inside the fair, he also presents, in a space scenographed by him, the 2026 capsule collection he designed for Vilebrequin, on display at stand G0. The artist will also speak in his capacity as President of the Cnap during a round-table on Thursday, April 9 at 14:30, titled Le Cnap et la scène française, bringing together notably Martin Bethenod (CNAP director), Sébastien Faucon (LaM director in Villeneuve-d'Ascq) and gallery owner Fabienne Leclerc.
We recommend this double feature to anyone interested in engaged art, ecology in contemporary creation, or simply those who want to understand why a giant green bear sits in front of one of Paris’s most beautiful monuments. Art Paris is returning to the Nave of the Grand Palais, at 7 Avenue Winston Churchill (Paris 8th), from April 9 to 12, 2026, with opening hours from noon to 8pm Thursday to Saturday and until 7pm on Sunday. Tickets are €30 (€15 for students) on Thursday and Friday, and €35 (€20 for students) on the weekend, with free entry for under-10s. Reduced rates are available via the GrandPalais Pass and for members of the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection. The bear in front of the Grand Palais is freely viewable for curious visitors who simply want to see it.
Who is this for: fans of contemporary and socially engaged art, and curious visitors strolling past the Grand Palais who want to understand what they’re looking at.
Two more venues to explore with a contemporary vibe:
Dates and Opening Time
From April 7, 2026 to April 12, 2026
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
