Since she opened her eponymous Paris space in 1980, French gallerist Chantal Crousel has risen through the ranks of the Paris art scene to become one Europe’s leading dealers and the representative of an impressive stable of artists including the likes of Sophie Calle, Wolfgang Tillmans, Tony Cragg, Cindy Sherman, Melik Ohanian, Jean-Luc Moulène, and Danh Vô.According to Crousel, the artists she represents “share in common the exploration and a revelation of the essential values that underlie contemporary society, each drawing from their particular cultural heritage to develop their direction and a visual language that is both powerful and universal. The majority of the artists represented by Crousel are now present in the most important collections.As she prepares for another big year of exhibitions and art fairs in 2016, BLOUIN ARTINFO got in touch with Crousel and asked her a few questions about art, life, and her experiences as a gallerist.Name: Chantal CrouselHails From: BelgiumDirector of: Galerie Chantal CrouselGallery’s Specialty: Contemporary ArtArtists Represented:Jennifer Allora & Guillermo Calzadilla, Fikret Atay, Tarek Atoui, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Roberto Cuoghi, David Douard, Wade Guyton, Fabrice Gygi, Mona Hatoum, Thomas Hirschhorn, Pierre Huyghe, Hassan Khan, Michael Krebber, Jean-Luc Moulène, Moshe Ninio, Melik Ohanian, Gabriel Orozco, Elizabeth Peyton, Seth Price, Reena Spaulings, Clément Rodzielski, Tim Rollins & K.O.S., Willem de Rooij, Anri Sala, José María Sicilia, Sean Snyder, Wolfgang Tillmans, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Oscar Tuazon, Danh Võ, Wang Bing, Haegue Yang, Heimo ZobernigWhat exciting shows do you have planned for the beginning of 2016?Thomas Hirschhorn: “Pixel-Collage” from January 9th - February 26th, 2016Hirschhorn explains: “Pixel-Collage is a new series of collages. With these works, I want to integrate the growing phenomena of facelessness in pictures reproduced today. What interests me more specifically in the aesthetic of facelessness is pixelation as its formal embodiment. I want to integrate into my work the increasing use of pixelation.”Describe the vision of the gallery and how the program is developed?Since it was established in 1980, Chantal Crousel Gallery has been revealing and accompanying the work of artists of highly diverse origin to the French and international art world of collectors and institutions. These artists share in common the exploration and the translation into original expressions of the essential values that underlie contemporary society. Each of them draws from their particular cultural heritage to develop their direction and a visual language that is both powerful and universal. The majority of these artists are now present in the most important collections.What have been some of the most significant achievements and landmark moments of the gallery?1980: Tony Cragg (first solo exhibition in France)1981: Alighiero Boetti (first solo exhibition in France)1982: Cindy Sherman (first solo exhibition in France)1989: Sigmar Polke, Peintures récentes, a double exhibition embracing the year 1989 and Polke's contribution to the commemoration of the French Revolution (with gallery partner Robelin-Bama)1990: Absalon, Cellules (his only lifetime gallery show)1993: Gabriel Orozco : La DS (first solo exhibition in France)1993: Mona Hatoum, Socle du monde (first solo exhibition in France)1997: Thomas Hirschhorn, Anthropologie I2001: Anri Sala, It Has Been Raining Here (first gallery solo exhibition)2004: Hassan Khan (first solo exhibition abroad)2004: Allora & Calzadilla, Ciclonismo (first gallery solo show in Europe)2004: Jean-Luc Moulène, Dessins, Sculptures, Photographies (first solo show at the gallery in two parts)2011: Danh Võ, launching of We The People project, presentation of the Statue of Liberty dummy and conference at the gallery about the statueFor the complete history, see link: https://www.crousel.com/home/exhibitions/How has the art market changed since you entered the business?– The ups and downs in the art market in the eighties and nineties (parallel to the economic situation)– The extension of the art market to a worldwide scene, in echo with the development of the world economy and of the Internet, stimulating the awareness of growing potential markets.– The development of sharpened distinctions between Artists and Art producers, and between Art collectors and Art investors - speculators.What was the last piece of art that thoroughly impressed you and why? Danh Vo’s reading of works in the François Pinault collection for the exhibition “Slip of the Tongue” at the Punta della Dogana in Venice.This show (with the complicity of curator Caroline Bourgeois) is the fruit of a dialogue and friendly relationship between the artist and the collector François Pinault. This exceptional exhibition not only reveals the works in the collection, but is enlarged with works that have struck Danh Vo during his “unsatiable” research of meanings and forms that reflect our world.What has been your most memorable moment as a gallerist?There is not one memorable moment as a gallerist, but an ongoing chain of memorable moments.If you weren’t a gallerist, you’d probably be…A nicer grandmotherArt is….An encounter with an as yet unexperienced expression of consciousness.
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