59 Rivoli : From Squat to Art

It was back in 2009 when I read about 59 Rivoli for the first time. I had just come back from my honeymoon in Paris and I was so bummed I’d missed my chance to visit this squatter building with a fun, unique, and creative façade which changes every few months, full of artists working, exhibiting, chatting with visitors.

In 1999 the building had been abandoned by the bank Crédit Lyonnais and the French state for 15 years. When a trio of misfits who where jokingly called KGB (Kalex, Gaspard, Bruno) discovered it.

A dozen artists showed up to lend a hand to a in the clean-up which was a mess full of dead pigeons, syringes, rubble, etc. The purpose of this operation was threefold:
- Revive an unused empty place
- Create a place for artists to create, live, and expose
- Prove the validity of a cultural alternative

Since they were not in the building “legally” they were eventually scheduled to be evicted in 2000 but theywere able to delay it by 6 months. During this time the press became very interested in the phenomenon "squart" (a contraction of 'squat' and 'art') and, forced by the media, the government didn't pursue that matter for several years. However, the situation of the squat on the Rue de Rivoli remained precarious as they awaited eviction.

It was candidate for mayor Bertrand Delanoë, who saved the building and it’s resident artists when during his campaign, he came through the squat, loved the place and promised that if he were elected mayor, he would legalize the squat so that the artists would have a place to work without worrying about being thrown out.  And Monsieur le Mayor kept his promise!!

Today, “59 Rivoli” hosts 30 artists (some permanent and some that rotate with residences from 3 to 6 months)  and it has become one of the three most visited sites of contemporary art in Paris, one of the ten most visited places in France.

 They are open to the public 6 days a week but because of the Covid -19 restrictions they have been forced to close their doors and they are helping artists by rotating them in a gallery on the ground floor.

We were lucky to be able to visit the gallery this week in ou search for young emerging artists and it 59 Rivoli never disappoints. The thing that we love the most about this space is that you can see the artists in their element, working, painting, creating. You can approach them without feeling intimidated, you can ask them questions and engage with them, sometimes even participate in interactive art.

 This month we’re paying homage to this very special place in our hearts and featuring current and past residents. If you get a chance to stop by their temporary gallery do it immediately! You’ll thank us!

59 Rivoli is located at… you guessed it 59 Rivoli, 75001 Paris

@59rivoli