The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain – a place dedicated to artistic exchange and experimentation, focused on working closely with artists and exploring how art is created and presented – was founded in 1984 by Alain Dominique Perrin, then President of Maison Cartier. Its goal has always been to break down boundaries between disciplines while engaging with contemporary issues, making modern artistic expression accessible to everyone through exhibitions, performances, lectures, and discussions. This month, the Fondation is expanding with the opening of a museum-scale site in Paris.
Situated in the heart of the city – at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre – the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain has unveiled its new Paris location. Reimagined by architect Jean Nouvel, the 19th-century Haussmannian building’s heritage is blended with contextual contemporary architecture. The original 1855 façade has been preserved, while glass bay windows on the ground floor open the building to the city. The Rue de Rivoli arcades pay tribute to Paris’ historical architecture, and inside, five adjustable platforms can shift to eleven different heights. The space is designed as a scenographic and social environment that fosters exchange and dialogue, while thoughtfully integrating themes of urbanism, landscape, and ecology.
The building offers a total of 8,500 square meters open to visitors, with 6,500 square meters dedicated specifically to exhibitions. Nouvel’s architectural vision allows for innovative exhibition formats, new ways of curating art experiences, and opportunities to reinterpret the building with each exhibition and its own artistic dialogue. Within the building sits a 300-square-meter educational space – La Manufacture – dedicated to learning about art through hands-on experiences; an auditorium for performances, concerts, talks, and debates tied to exhibition themes; and a bookstore featuring multidisciplinary titles, Fondation Cartier publications, and works created in collaboration with artists. The Fondation’s aim is to develop art formats that address the goals and evolving responsibilities of a cultural institution shaped by the 21st century.
To celebrate the opening of the venue, the Fondation Cartier presents the inaugural exhibition “Exposition Générale,” showcasing iconic works from more than forty years of its history. Featuring pieces developed within the Fondation’s programming, the collection unites both renowned and emerging artists, commissioning works made specifically for the institution and encouraging artists to explore new directions. The exhibition also includes live performances, spoken word, fashion, dance, and music.
The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain’s new space is more than just an exquisite venue – it’s a reinvention of the institution, refocusing it as a hub for creation, transmission, and exchange. By exploring contemporary ways of making, displaying, and sharing art, the Fondation continues to establish itself as a driving force in the art world.
photography. Courtesy of the Fondation Cartier
words. Amber Louise







































































