Presentation

Bétonsalon – Center for Art and Research strives to develop a space where to reflect on and in society. Integrated into the site of the University Paris 7 at the very heart of a neigh­bour­hood under­going recon­struc­tion, the ZAC Paris Rive Gauche in the 13th dis­trict of Paris, Bétonsalon works at the con­flu­ence of art and uni­ver­sity research with the ambi­tion to ques­tion nor­malised forms of pro­duc­tion, clas­si­fi­ca­tion and dis­tri­bu­tion of knowl­edge.

The activ­i­ties of Bétonsalon develop in a pro­cess-based, col­lab­o­ra­tive and dis­cur­sive manner, fol­lowing dif­ferent time spans, in coop­er­a­tion with var­ious local, national and inter­na­tional orga­ni­za­tions, and pre­sent them­selves under dif­ferent forms. Exhibitions are enriched by dif­ferent asso­ci­ated events (work­shops, con­fer­ences, per­for­mances, round table dis­cus­sions…). Seminars and work­shops are orga­nized in col­lab­o­ra­tion with teachers from the University Paris 7. Off-site research pro­jects are led in part­ner­ship with other insti­tu­tions and res­i­dency pro­grams are offered for researchers, artists and cura­tors.

In 2014, Bétonsalon – Center for Art and Research cel­e­brated its 10th Birthday.

In February 2016, Bétonsalon – Center for Art and Research inau­gu­rated Villa Vassilieff, its second site of activ­i­ties.
New cul­tural estab­lish­ment owned by the City of Paris, Villa Vassilieff is located in the heart of Montparnasse, on the site of Marie Vassilieff’s former studio, which until 2013 housed the Musée du Montparnasse. Through var­ious grants offered in part­ner­ship with dif­ferent insti­tu­tions, numerous artists and researchers are invited to come in res­i­dency to recon­nect with Montparnasse‘s his­tory from a con­tem­po­rary per­spec­tive. Pernod Ricard, its leading sponsor, has joined forces with Villa Vassilieff to create the Pernod Ricard Fellowship: a grant aimed at sup­porting four inter­na­tional artists, cura­tors and researchers in res­i­dence every year in the Villa’s studio.