Raquel Maulwurf, Burning XXIII, 2018, charcoal, pastel, Livingstone Gallery

For its 12th edition, Drawing now, the contemporary version of Salon du Dessin, was an exciting moment with many discoveries. It is not too large, so you have time to look properly at each one of the 72 International galleries including the lower level with “Insight”,  “Process”  and comic books. Fourteen different countries were present and many young artists are represented. I found precious treasures which I will share with you here and you can always buy them at their galleries later.

Eva Jospin, Folie, 2017, at galerie Suzanne Tarasiève

Eva Jospin usually works with wood and creates amazing decors of forests. She was shown at Cour Carrée du Louvre two years ago and will be present at Chaumont sur Loire starting March 30. But here she was showing models and drawings which are maybe easier to fit into your drawing room!

At galerie Bernard Jordan who is exhibiting Etienne Pressager‘s latest drawings in its rue Charlot space, I noticed a beautiful gouache and gold leaf of a Crane by Daniel Schiler.  Then “Desseins” by Philippe Mayaux filled the whole stand of  Loervenbruck gallery with strange animals in ink on paper.

Philippe Mayaux at gallery Lowenbruck

It was a great joy to find watercolors by Jean Michel Othoniel, a glass sculptor I have been fond of for thirty years. He designed a golden fountain for Versailles and a metro station in front of Comédie Française. He works with glass and these poetic watercolors shown at Karstengreve gallery are preparatory sketches for his huge installations.

A watercolor by Jean Michel Othoniel

Then came galerie La Ferronnerie with the incredible drawings of German artist Richard Müller. At Maria Lund galerie, one of the most charming Danish galleries in Paris, I discovered the large drawings of Peter Martensen who uses charcoal on paper. He will soon show his oils in the same gallery on rue de Turenne.

Peter Martensen, The Unwanted III, charcoal on paper

This series of excellent charcoal on paper by “Northern” artists was a discovery and this is what made Drawing Now especially interesting this year. Every language was spoken in the alleys and there was no pretentiousness around. Foreign exhibitors are always eager to please the buyer as opposed to most French galleries who snob you when they don’t know you.

Canadian Paul Morstad, “Songlines” sold on opening morning for 3 500€ at gallery Youn

The great surprise for me at the show was downstairs in the Insight section. Gallery Youn from Montreal was showing Paul Morstad who lives in Vancouver. The poetry and humor of his drawings are fabulous and of course they sold within the first hours of the opening!

Richard Müller, Park in Shanghai- French restaurant, 2016, Galerie La Ferronerie

Another woman I discovered downstairs is Dutch artist Raquel Maulwurf at Gallery Livingstone, who also works with charcoal and pastel. Her burning forests are tantalizing.

There are many more works that I could mention but I have to stop these mental acquisitions, otherwise my mind will explode. Most drawings sold for under 5 000€ and while I was browsing with my friend, New York art critic, Michèle Cone, she said how relieved she was to find affordable art in Paris.

Drawing Now is talking to the heart and the eye not to the bank account! (until Sunday 25 March at Carreau du Temple)

Arthur Novak, “Orgue de Pan”, and drawings “Points de vue” are visible at Fondaiotn Lambert until May 20.

And at 60 rue de Richelieu near the Bourse, DDessin Paris is showing young artists. I spotted one, Arthur Novak, who lives in Avignon and is exhibited there at the moment at Fondation Lambert. He works on equatorial forests after having lived in Brazil and Colombia. “I wanted to become a guide in the forest but realized the training would take years for me to get certified so I decided to draw the forest instead”.

Arthur Novak the new Sam Szafran? exhibits in Avignon

In Avignon he has also concentrated on bambous and shows an installation with an organ. Here in Paris he was showing charcoal on paper palm trees, a forest that you have to penetrate. Very impressive work.