Three Decades of Art, Dialogue & Discovery at Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire

Galleries are more than just places to see art, they are spaces where ideas grow, voices are heard, and culture takes shape. At Arts to Hearts Project, we celebrate those who create and protect this kind of energy. For this week’s Best of Art World series, we explored Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire, a leading Paris gallery that has influenced the contemporary art scene for almost thirty years. Founded in 1996 by Stéphane Magnan in the historic Marais district, the gallery has always focused on supporting artists of different generations and working across many mediums painting, photography, sculpture, video, installation, and performance. Each exhibition is designed to give artists a platform, spark conversation, and reflect the changing rhythm of society today.

In 2023, the gallery expanded with a second space on rue Chapon, strengthening its mission to champion innovation, experimentation, and inclusivity. Beyond hosting exhibitions, Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire nurtures long-term relationships with artists, assisting with production, institutional collaborations, and digital initiatives, ensuring their work reaches both local and international audiences. Its programming is defined by a balance of form and idea, supporting emergent voices while fostering intergenerational conversations that reveal the evolving narratives of contemporary creation.

Step inside Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire in this interview and discover how this visionary gallery continues to redefine what it means to support, challenge, and celebrate art in Paris and beyond.

Q1. Your gallery has become a key name in the Paris art scene. Can you tell us a bit about how Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire began?

IGalerie Les filles du calvaire was founded in 1996 by Stéphane Magnan in the Marais district of Paris, at 17 rue des Filles du Calvaire, the street that gave the gallery its name. From the outset, the gallery was driven by a desire to support contemporary creation across a wide range of mediums, from photography and painting to installation and performance. What truly defined the gallery in its early years was its commitment to artists exploring new forms of representation, particularly through figuration. It quickly became a space where both emerging and established artists could experiment and be seen, and it built strong relationships with the contemporary photography scene, both in France and internationally.

Q2. How do you choose the themes for your exhibitions? Is there any singular philosophy?

There isn’t a strict or singular philosophy guiding our program, but rather a deep, ongoing dialogue with the artists we work with. Most of our exhibitions emerge from a shared desire to collaborate, a mutual commitment that grows over time and responds to the artist’s vision as well as the gallery’s experience. We are particularly drawn to practices that resonate with contemporary concerns, whether social, political, or environmental. Artists like Laia Abril or the duo Art Orienté Objet exemplify this engagement, addressing urgent issues through powerful and thought-provoking forms.

At the same time, we also pay close attention to questions of form and artistic language. Supporting the French painting scene, for instance, has been central to our program, as seen in our collaborations with artists like Thomas Lévy-Lasne. Finally, we are deeply committed to emerging voices. Championing younger artists and giving them space to experiment is an essential part of our identity. It’s this balance — between ideas and form, between established and emerging practices, that defines our curatorial approach.

Q3. The art world has evolved a lot over the decades. How does your gallery and collections keep up with changing times? 

The art world has indeed changed significantly, and we’ve adapted by deepening our sense of community and expanding our digital presence. Locally, we’ve strengthened our ties with neighbouring galleries especially around rue Chapon, Paris by organizing joint openings and evening events that create momentum and foster shared visibility. This spirit of solidarity and collaboration is more important than ever. At the same time, online platforms have become essential to how we engage with collectors. Whether they are long-standing supporters or new audiences discovering the gallery, digital tools now play a central role in how we present artists, share content, and maintain meaningful connections beyond the physical space of the gallery.

Q4. Do you support artists beyond exhibitions? How do you do so?

Absolutely, our commitment to artists goes well beyond the exhibitions we host. We see our role as long-term partners in their practice. This means supporting them in a variety of ways: from assisting with production and helping structure their studio and production chains, to advising on the publication of monographs and facilitating institutional collaborations. We’re actively involved when artists are preparing for museum shows or biennials, often helping with logistics, funding, and communication. Whether it’s editing a catalogue, securing a fabrication partner, or coordinating with curators, we aim to be present at every step. For us, it’s not just about one exhibition, it’s about building a lasting, thoughtful relationship that allows artists to grow and thrive across different contexts.

Q5. With the rapid increase in digital content, is your gallery holding back to traditional offline exhibitions alone or coming up with online viewing rooms as well?

While in-person exhibitions remain at the heart of our program, we see digital tools as a powerful extension rather than a substitute. For each exhibition presented at the gallery, we create an online counterpart, whether it’s a full viewing room or a curated online selection. This allows us to share the work more broadly, especially with collectors and curators who can’t always visit in person. These digital formats have become an essential part of how we communicate and connect, offering greater accessibility while maintaining the integrity of the gallery experience. We aim to strike a balance — honouring the physical encounter with the artwork while embracing the possibilities offered by digital platforms.

Q6. What is the most exciting exhibition you’ve ever hosted and why is it so memorable? 

It’s hard to choose just one in more than thirty years, but two moments stand out in our recent program. The first would be Persona, the collective exhibition we curated to inaugurate our new space on rue Chapon in 2023. It brought together a group of artists from different generations and practices, around questions of identity, representation, and narrative. It was a powerful way to mark a new chapter for the gallery, not only spatially, but also in terms of curatorial ambition and energy. The response from the public and the dialogue between the works made it especially memorable. Another unforgettable moment was Léo Fourdrinier’s solo exhibition last year, particularly his marble motorcycle sculpture, Venus. It was an ambitious technical challenge, both for the artist and for us as a gallery, from production logistics to installation. But it perfectly captured the tension in his work between myth, memory, and materiality. Seeing it come to life in the space was incredibly rewarding.

Q7. If your gallery were an art form/theme, what would it be?

If our gallery were an art form, it would be figuration, but in motion. Not figuration as something fixed or illustrative, but as a dynamic field where the boundaries between the visible and the imagined are constantly shifting. Our program consistently returns to the question of representation, how we depict, how we perceive, and how images construct meaning. Whether through painting, photography, or conceptual approaches, we’re drawn to artists who explore the tension between reality and interpretation, presence and absence, surface and depth. So if we had to define the gallery as a theme, it would be that ongoing dialogue between the image and its construction.

Q8. What are the first three things you expect visitors to notice in your gallery and what impact are they supposed to have on them?

The first thing visitors usually notice is the clarity of the space itself, our galleries are designed to let the artworks speak, with a focus on light, scale, and silence. We want people to immediately feel they’ve entered a place where attention is valued. The second is the strength of the artistic voices we present. Whether it’s a bold visual language, a sensitive approach to contemporary issues, or a subtle material presence, the works are meant to engage both the eye and the mind from the very first moment. And perhaps most importantly, we want visitors to feel welcome and guided. Whether through clear exhibition design, accessible texts, or personal conversations, we aim to create an atmosphere where each visitor feels accompanied in their experience. We believe that art becomes more powerful when people feel invited to look, reflect, and ask questions freely.

Q9. What are the primary challenges that you face while running a contemporary art gallery? 

Running a contemporary art gallery today involves navigating several complex challenges. One of the main ones is balancing the support for artists’ creative freedom with the practical demands of the market. We want to champion innovative, sometimes experimental work, while also ensuring that it reaches and resonates with collectors, institutions, and a broader audience. Another challenge lies in maintaining visibility and relevance in a highly dynamic and competitive art world. With so many galleries, fairs, and online platforms, standing out requires constant adaptation and meaningful engagement, both locally and internationally.

Q10. Can you give a piece of advice for emerging artists looking forward to collaborating with art galleries? 

One key piece of advice is to focus on building genuine relationships rather than just seeking representation. Take the time to understand the gallery’s program, attend openings, engage with other artists, and be present in the community. Galleries often follow an artist’s work over time before initiating a collaboration. Consistency in your practice, clarity in your ideas, and openness to dialogue go a long way. It’s not just about showing your work; it’s about entering into a conversation that can evolve over the long term.

Our conversation with Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire is a reminder that true cultural impact is built over time through vision, risk-taking, and unwavering dedication to artists. For nearly thirty years, the gallery has created not just exhibitions, but experiences that challenge, inspire, and endure. From its roots on rue des Filles du Calvaire to its bold new chapter on rue Chapon, the gallery stands as a beacon of contemporary creation dynamic, daring, and deeply influential. As it continues to foster new voices and connect with global audiences, Les Filles du Calvaire doesn’t just reflect the art world it actively shapes its future.

Follow Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire to experience its upcoming exhibitions and discover how it continues to expand the possibilities of art on both the Parisian and international stage.