Pinault to put 106 works on permanent display in Venice

The French billionaire collector François Pinault will end two decades of temporary exhibitions at Venice's Palazzo Grassi. Starting in March 2027, the palazzo will become a museum that permanently shows what he considers the most important works in his collection: 106 pieces by 54 artists, chosen from more than 10,000 works, Le Monde reported. The Pinault Collection says the permanent exhibition opens on March 21, 2027. Emma Lavigne, the collection's general director and curator, is organizing it.theartnewspaper.com+1

The change ends what The Art Newspaper called the palazzo's prestigious temporary exhibition programme. Pinault bought the building in 2005 and opened it in 2006. Temporary shows will continue at Punta della Dogana, his other Venice venue.pinaultcollection.com

Why he is making the change

Pinault told Le Monde that the idea developed over time. "For 20 years, we opted for temporary exhibitions, major monographic projects, collaborative projects with artists, and dialogues between works in the collection and those from elsewhere," he said, according to The Art Newspaper. "But in those 20 years, the collection itself has evolved considerably."theartnewspaper.com

He said a permanent display "allows for the juxtaposition of works from different periods and generations, demonstrating how, beyond their individuality, certain questions persist." He added that the plan "is in no way intended to freeze the collection or offer a definitive interpretation." Artforum carried the same remarks in its report.artforum.com

In a statement from the Pinault Collection, Pinault said he wanted "to give the works time: time to be seen, revisited and, at times, understood in a different light."pinaultcollection.com

Schedule and venues

Palazzo Grassi has staged 27 exhibitions since it opened, according to Italy's ANSA news agency. Its current show, "Michael Armitage. The Promise of Change," runs until January 10, 2027, according to the museum's website. To mark the launch, Punta della Dogana will hold "Tadao Ando & Mono-Ha. I cinque elementi" from March 21 to November 21, 2027, Milano Finanza reported. Ando is the Japanese architect who redesigned Pinault's three museums, the third being the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, which opened in 2021.ansa.it+2

The collector behind it

Pinault founded the Kering luxury group, whose brands include Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, and the holding company Artémis. He also owns Christie's, according to Le Monde. In the interview, he said Minimalism and Arte Povera are central to the collection. He described his interest in African American art as an invitation "to stray from the well-trodden paths of Western art, to explore alternative routes," The Art Newspaper reported.lemonde.fr+1