Kering founder to open Paris contemporary art museum

The Paris Bourse de Commerce, a beguiling 16th century rotund monument in pedestrian-heavy Chatelet on the right bank, has been repurposed into a contemporary art museum owned by Kering founder François Pinault.

The luxury goods group, which is parent company to Gucci and Bottega Veneta, has long been a patron of the arts, owning two further museums in Venice, Italy, where its Pinault Collections are housed in Palazzo Grassi and la Punta della Dogana, two of the city’s must-see museums for art aficionados.

After completing a 194 million dollar renovation headed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the Bourse is a much-anticipated addition to Paris’s cultural prowess, notably in the contemporary art sector. After a year-long delay during the pandemic the museum is set to open its door on May 24th.

Pinault, one of France’s wealthiest families, is well versed in generating indirect interest in its luxury businesses, especially via the preservation and development of artistic and cultural endeavours. By investing in a new museum in its home city, the family are seen to boost the locale and employ thousands of people. Being both revered and respected shines a favourable light over its other activities.

“The opening of the Bourse de Commerce, a new site in the heart of Paris to display my collection, marks a new phase in the execution of my cultural project, which is to share my passion for contemporary art with the widest possible audience.” François Pinault