59 Rivoli is an

art gallery An art gallery is a room or a building in which visual art is displayed. In Western cultures from the mid-15th century, a gallery was any long, narrow covered passage along a wall, first used in the sense of a place for art in the 1590s. The lon ...

in Paris, France. Formerly an artist squat that had occupied the space since 1999, it was legalized by the city from 2006 onwards. The venue became known for its parties, exhibitions, and performances.

History

The building at 59 Rivoli was formerly a branch of the

Crédit Lyonnais The Crédit Lyonnais (, "Lyon Credit ompany) was a major French bank, created in 1863 and absorbed by former rival Crédit Agricole in 2003. Its head office was initially in Lyon but moved to Paris in 1882. In the early years of the 20th cent ...

bank. It was abandoned for 15 years before artists took over the six-storey space and began exhibiting art and hosting parties. The building is from the Hausmannian period of urban renewal and growth in the mid-1800s. The 6 spiral staircase in the middle of the building climbs 6 floors, surrounded by brightly colored murals on the walls and floors. In 1999, a group of artists including

squatted Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there ...

the former bank building, which had been abandoned for 15 years. The Council of Paris originally planned to evict the artists but backed down when it received positive media attention. After years of 59 Rivoli being a squat, the city of Paris considered evicting the tenants. City officials discovered in 2001 that more than 40,000 people were visiting 59 Rivoli per year, and it was the third most-visited center or museum for contemporary art in the city.

Paris city hall Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

bought the building to convert it to a legal space for art studios and tourism. 59 Rivoli was the first conversion to a legal establishment by the ministry in Paris, but the project has continued since 2006. Between 2006 and 2009, the building was renovated, opening again with 30 artist studios. As of 2019, the

contemporary art Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...

gallery had 70,000 visitors per year. Artists display and sell works of various media, including

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

s, and

electronic art Electronic art is a form of art that makes use of electronic media. More broadly, it refers to technology and/or electronic media. It is related to information art, new media art, video art, digital art, interactive art, internet art, and electr ...

. In the artist community in Paris, people debate whether the formally established art galleries provide more opportunities for the artists who work there or inhibit the artistic process. Other art squats in Paris include

Les Frigos Les Frigos is an arts centre located at 19 rue des Frigos in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France. The large building is a former refrigerated storage depot built in 1920. It was squatted in 1985 and later legalized. History Les Frigos is l ...

References

{{Reflist Art museums and galleries in Paris Squats in France Legalized squats Buildings and structures in Paris