Posted on 24 February 2026:

Art Capital 2026: Grand Palais Paris Celebrates 20th Edition of Europe’s Largest Contemporary Art Fair

The 20th Edition of Art Capital 2026 unfolded within the majestic halls of the Grand Palais, Paris, reaffirming its stature as one of the world’s most significant art fairs. Over four vibrant days, more than 3,000 artists from across continents converged to celebrate the boundless spectrum of contemporary creativity.

This landmark edition embraced the diversity of artistic expression—ranging from luminous subjective abstraction and renewed figuration to surrealist perspectives and evocative animal sculptures. Visitors journeyed through four distinct exhibitions—French Artists, Independents, Comparisons, and Drawing & Watercolor Painting—each offering a unique lens into the evolving language of art. The fair’s international scope was enriched by artists from Japan, Korea, China and notably Azerbaijan, whose presence added fresh cultural dimensions.

The Salon paid homage to André Malraux, France’s first Minister of Culture, on the fiftieth anniversary of his passing, echoing his timeless words: “Art is the shortest path from one person to another.” The Salon des Indépendants also honored sculptor Paul Belmondo, weaving memory and tribute into the fabric of the event.

Among the highlights was the work of internationally acclaimed artist Larissa Noury, a consistent presence at Art Capital through the Asilva group’s Subjective Abstraction. Her radiant canvases and Tableaux vivants performances captivated audiences, reaffirming her enduring place within the contemporary art movement.

A Symphony of Color and Texture

Larissa Noury’s “tactile painting” transcends the boundaries of visual art, inviting viewers into meditative worlds where color, texture, and imagination converge. Her daring harmonies—contrasts of reds, blues, and greens—demonstrate mastery of pigments and materials, creating surfaces that shimmer with vitality. Noury’s use of sand grains, minerals, and layered pigments echoes Taoist philosophy, where everything is movement and life force.

Art as Healing and Revelation

Larissa Noury’s art is more than visual—it is experiential. They remind us that painting, like music, can soothe the wounded soul, while simultaneously awakening vitality and imagination.

“Larissa’s work is quite astonishing. We look at it and think we see something we’ve seen before, but perhaps we saw it in a dream and not in reality. In reality, as in life, reality is defined only in relation to the symbolic and the imaginary” – Yves Charnay, Professor Emeritus at ENSAD Paris.

Her canvases unfold like visions suspended between memory and imagination, shimmering with a rhythm that feels both familiar and otherworldly. Her palette becomes a cosmos in motion: seabeds and galaxies, sunsets and constellations, all converging in luminous harmony—“Looking at this painting, I think of the seabed with its particular blue; it evokes the planets, the Milky Way passing by in motion, we see the magma, the creation of the world, we see this luminous heart… Here it’s rocky, we feel the texture, the vibrations, there’s a rhythm that takes flight, that rises upwards, more spiritual, more luminous, lighter. This contemplative blue rejuvenates us. It makes us think of the lagoon, of summer colors, of the underwater world. We see seaweed dancing in the water… I really love the light of these clouds at sunset.” “All the colours are there, even the glitter, it can represent the sunset in the water, all the elements are there and also the constellations” – Actress, dancer, producer Géraldine Hilaire.

Mystery breathes through her compositions, where unexpected harmonies of mauve, turquoise, and mineral textures shimmer with metallic depth.

“I would go further, because your colors are not only harmonious, they are also the expression of immense vitality. And that, for me, who loves Taoism, is of extreme importance. In Taoism, everything is energy and vitality.“

“You call it tactile painting. But I wouldn’t dare touch it. I caress it with my eyes and my mind.” – Dr. Jan de Meyer, Sinologist

“This artwork, which reminds me of both the underwater world and the world of space and nebulae, invites us to dive into this dreamlike world where only the beauty of our thoughts remains… we are invited to stay in this timeless world, to contemplate the music for the eyes.” – Alexandre, student at ENSTA, Polytechnic Institute.

“…It’s magnificent, a truly beautiful piece. The colors aren’t complementary, but in any case, it’s very harmonious and works surprisingly well. The mauves, blues, and turquoises are in motion and blend together like a rainbow. You used materials like sand, minerals, and oil, which gives it an almost materialized, metallic appearance. I like the composition; it’s difficult to say what we see and think about. This painting is  very mysterious.” “— Thimothé Bordenave, artist, photographer

Larissa Noury’s canvases breathe with vitality, inviting viewers into a dialogue of texture, color and surprise. As artist Irina Mayskaya observed:

“Your work is vibrant and alive, and if you step back a little, there is a surprise: you can glimpse a heart, which is completely invisible when you’re very close. The effect is magical. I also really love these colors. Thank you so much, Larissa, and thank you to the Art Capital exhibition in Paris.”

Elena Done echoes the sentiment, praising the curved lines, layered textures, and luminous gradients that invite reflection and dream. 

“I really love this canvas, especially its texture, with its curved lines and different textures, the color gradient that invites us to reflect and dream. Thank you so much for this beautiful work.” — Elena Done

At Art Capital 2026, her works reaffirmed their place not only within contemporary art movements but also within the timeless dialogue between humanity and beauty.

Art Capital has affirmed its place as a vital meeting ground for artists, collectors and the public, standing as Europe’s largest art fair and one of the world’s essential cultural gatherings. Each year, nearly 3,000 artists converge to present works that span figuration, abstraction, and new aesthetic sensibilities—gentle yet searching, expressive yet exploratory.  In its rigorous selection and international scope, the exhibition becomes not only a showcase of contemporary creation but also a reflection of art’s evolving quest for feeling, form and connection.

THE 20TH EDITION OF ART CAPITAL WAS NOT MERELY AN EXHIBITION—IT WAS A LIVING DIALOGUE BETWEEN TRADITION AND INNOVATION, A TESTAMENT TO THE GRAND PALAIS AS A TIMELESS STAGE WHERE GLOBAL ARTISTRY FINDS ITS VOICE.

Images: LARISSA NOURY, ALAIN ROBERT CESTVOUSLASTAR & LAURENT ROSEMAIN