Home is where the art is: in Private Choice, a Parisian apartment doubles as a contemporary gallery

If you happened to stop by the Private Choice preview cocktail in Paris on Saturday night, you would have had a hard time believing the apartment was actually a giant mise en scène. And the cinematic comparison makes a nifty double entendre; more than a century ago, the family of film maverick George Méliès occupied this building, adjacent to the city's garment district (his father was a successful bootmaker).
As a follow-up to last year's impressive staging – like this one, coinciding with the international contemporary art fair Fiac – Private Choice founder and project director Nadia Candet has asserted her curatorial taste on a residential space where a wide variety of artworks, furniture and design objects come together as a unified whole. Minus the Le Corbusier staircase, the lustrous Andrée Puttman light fixture and a few other pieces drilled into walls, everything is available for purchase. And yes, this includes the site-specific Felice Varini geometric perspective painting that will be custom re-created for the prospective buyer (at €50,000, it also happens to be the priciest item).
Candet has arranged the work in inspired juxtapositions: César fingerprint gold and platinum-accented china with Patrick Jouin for Puiforcat silverware; Zaha Hadid's vases for Lalique within arm's reach from Sacha Walchkoff's teal astrakhan armchair for Pouenat. Connecting several pieces is a subtle theme of orientation. Above the upper-level entryway, for instance, Melik Ohanian's neon art sign flashes '(T)HERE'. An 'X' marks the centre of Claude Closky's 'Ici [Here]' carpet in the library, positioned beneath Didier Faustino's 'Threesome Where' seating sculpture.
The inaugural edition showcased established and emerging artists separately, said Candet during an early walk-through. This year the integration makes a noticeable difference – particularly in the way people interact with the space. Some mingled around the Valentin Loellmann dining-room seating, as if in a home environment; others peeked intently into the bathroom to watch video art screened onto the turquoise wall. What they saw: a young duo that goes by the name None Futbol Club affixing 'Just Married' signage and tin cans to the back of a public bus.
The projection might have been smaller than the vanity mirror, but the effect underscored that this was no ordinary house. Like in a gallery, several pieces had already been marked by red dots.
Connecting several pieces is a subtle theme of orientation. Above the upper-level entryway, for instance, is Melik Ohanian's neon art sign '(T)HERE', from a 2006-2014 edition of five. On the sideboard are works by Florence Doléac and Claude Closky.
In a video screened onto the turquoise wall of the bathroom, a young duo called None Futbol Club affixes a 'Just Married' sign and tin cans to the back of a public bus. The 'Nao' stool is by Studio Katra.
Didier Faustino's 'Threesome Where' seating stands on a rug by Claude Closky. The artwork on the wall behind is 'James Turrell Evolution 2', 2014, by Nicolas Delprat.
A site-specific geometric perspective painting by Felice Varini will be customised for the prospective buyer. At €50,000, it is the priciest item for sale at Private Choice. On the sideboard is 'Bright Cells' by Hitomi Uchikura.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
The Honda HR-V is a car for those who don’t care too much about brands or bold design
A small but sophisticated hybrid that wears its tech lightly, the Honda HR-V will probably work perfectly forever even though it can’t raise a thrill
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
New York Fashion Week A/W 2025 highlights: Christopher John Rogers to Calvin Klein Collection
Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss picks the best of New York Fashion Week A/W 2025, starting with Veronica Leoni’s confident opening act at Calvin Klein Collection
By Jack Moss Published
-
At Arpa Studios, a new chapter begins for perfumer Barnabé Fillion
Founder of Arpa Studios Barnabé Fillion catches up with Wallpaper* to talk about the latest chapter of his multisensory fragrance brand and research project
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
What makes fashion and art such good bedfellows?
There has always been a symbiosis between fashion and the art world. Here, we look at what makes the relationship such a successful one
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
Architecture, sculpture and materials: female Lithuanian artists are celebrated in Nîmes
The Carré d'Art in Nîmes, France, spotlights the work of Aleksandra Kasuba and Marija Olšauskaitė, as part of a nationwide celebration of Lithuanian culture
By Will Jennings Published
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this week
Investing in quality knitwear, scouting a very special pair of earrings and dining with strangers are just some of the things keeping the Wallpaper* team occupied this week
By Bill Prince Published
-
Tom Wesselmann’s enduring influence on pop art goes under the spotlight in Paris
‘Pop Forever, Tom Wesselmann &...’ is on view at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris until 24 February 2025
By Ann Binlot Published
-
Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales film series comes to life for Art Basel Paris
In ‘Tales & Tellers’, interdisciplinary artist Goshka Macuga brings Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales film series for Art Basel Paris to life for the public programme
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
Art Basel returns to Paris: here is everything to see and do
Art Basel Paris 2024 (18 - 20 October 2024) returns, opening at the newly renovated Grand Palais
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
Elmgreen & Dragset explore contemporary masculinity in Paris
We visit Elmgreen & Dragset at their Berlin studio ahead of new exhibition ‘L’Addition’ at Paris’ Musée d’Orsay, a subversive take on the classical form
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Don’t miss Henri Matisse and Ellsworth Kelly at Fondation Louis Vuitton
Fondation Louis Vuitton present a series of works by Matisse and Kelly, celebrating the influence they had on the trajectory of contemporary art
By Tianna Williams Published