In pictures: art fair turns Paris into open air gallery

The 40th edition of the International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC) kicked off Wednesday in Paris, with several exhibits displayed for free on the banks of the Seine, at the Jardin des Plantes, and at the Tuileries Garden.

“Don’t touch that sweetheart - it’s art!” a young Parisian mother cried as her daughter tried to scamper up a wooden structure sitting along the banks of the River Seine.

Indeed, a passer by could be forgiven for mistaking the installation for a simple swing. How could anyone know that it was, in fact, a piece of art inspired by, “re-readings of constructivist principles and the theses of Walter Benjamin”?

Such encounters between the public and contemporary art will continue through to October 27, as the 40th International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC), takes place in the French capital. Attracting gallery owners and contemporary artists from around the world, it is considered one of the biggest annual events of its kind.

Last year’s edition was housed exclusively within Paris’s famed Grand Palais, but this year, the FIAC will flaunt works in several parts of the French capital, including outdoor installations in the Tuileries Garden, the Jardin des Plantes, and along the Seine.

Here is a glance at some of the most buzzed-about pieces on display:

Date created : 2013-10-23