Art Basel 2026: a free installation that blends art and nature at Square Jean Perrin in Paris

In front of the Grand Palais and the Palais de la Découverte, Jean Perrin Square welcomes contemporary art enthusiasts from October 20 to 25, 2026. An installation from the Art Basel fair by Lionel Sabatté awaits visitors.

In summer, music festivals and open-air cinema sweep through Paris. At the start of winter, it’s all about festive decorations and Christmas markets. And in autumn? In Paris, it’s the season for contemporary art! Each October, numerous contemporary art fairs open their doors across the capital. Notably, the unmissable Art Basel fair at the Grand Palais, from October 23 to 25, 2026, can be found at the following link: Art Basel.

The Art Basel fair also offers a broad off-site program, with museum exhibitions or outdoor shows that run alongside the fair. In short, contemporary-art enthusiasts can look forward to a full week of discoveries and artistic strolls.

These off-site exhibitions can be staged at the Palais-Royal grounds, on the forecourt of the Institut de France, or on the forecourt of the Rights of Man, in the courtyard of the Hôtel de la Marine, at the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine... But also in the square Jean Perrin, facing the Grand Palais and the Palais de la Découverte!

This tucked-away square in the 8th arrondissement is turning into an open-air museum from October 20 to 25, 2026. In this edition, Square Jean Perrin hosts an installation by artist Lionel Sabatté. Some visitors may have already encountered his work during the exhibition at the Museum of Hunting and Nature, which opened on October 15, 2026. Sabatté is a painter, sculptor and draftsman who works with unconventional materials, aiming to coax life out of them and imagining an entire mythical, hybrid bestiary.

During Art Basel, Lionel Sabatté presents his birds at Square Jean Perrin. The creatures search for balance on columns that climb toward the sky. A poetic work to discover for free.

Want even more? Check out the exhibition lineup for this Art Basel week in Paris.

Art Basel 2026: the must-see off-site exhibitions to catch in Paris
What are these monumental installations that have appeared in Paris? They’re works from Art Basel Paris’ Outside the Walls program, the city’s premier contemporary art event. From October 20 to 25, 2026, come and admire these unusual installations across the capital. [Read more]

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