Translated by Bethszabee Garner
Regenerating eastern Paris on a cultural and artistic level, here is a generous idea that the Fiminco Foundation was inspired to have a few years ago, when it bought hectares of industrial wasteland in Romainville, with their beautiful abandoned buildings. Today, the Regional Contemporary Art Fund (Frac) of Île-de-France has its reserves there.
La Chaufferie, which was used for many years by the pharmaceutical group Sanofi, has become a superb exhibition venue, with some of the buildings dating from the late 1940s in the Bauhaus style, as residences for artists, who have access to a wide range of laboratories to help them perfect their work or, more prosaically, learn new techniques such as screen printing. ‘We have created an interdisciplinary place,’ explains Khatarina Scriba, director of the foundation, “so that there is synergy between the artists.” This equipment is all the more relevant as the selected artists (a dozen out of more than 1,000 applicants) are welcomed for long-term stays.
This impressive complex, the only one of its kind in Europe, titled Fast, organises several open studios every year, during which the public is invited to discover the works presented in the galleries, at the Frac and during the major exhibitions at the Chaufferie. Visitors can also have lunch at the restaurant and stroll through the landscaped walkways designed for families. Will Fast be a runaway success, as its name suggests? It is not easy to establish such an ambitious project in a 9-3 that has never been recognized as an ‘artistic’ district by amateurs and professionals who are familiar with the 5th, 6th and 8th arrondissements of Paris. ‘A real neighborhood of around ten thousand inhabitants is developing around Fast,’ says Khatarina Scriba, who has agreed to provide captions for our portfolio, between art and architecture. Next open studios on 12 January and 16 March 2025 43, rue de la Commune de Paris, in Romainville (93)
The ‘boiler room’ of the former Roussel-Uclaf pharmaceutical laboratories now houses the exhibition spaces of the Fiminco Foundation, which is at the heart of the Fast cultural district in Romainville. This building, steeped in history, embodies the meeting of industrial heritage and contemporary art, offering a new space dedicated to creation and innovation.
Through this ‘fracture’, the image reveals a true architectural gesture that creates a link between the old and the contemporary. In the centre, we discover the building of the Fonds régional d'art contemporain de la région Île-de-France, which has been housing its reserves on the site since 2021. This building was designed by the architects of the Freaks agency and presents a modern interpretation of brick.
For the past three years, the exhibition (Made Anywhere) has brought together French and international exhibitors to showcase artistic editorial practices. La Chaufferie is transformed into a space for discovery and encounters that attracts amateurs and professionals alike with a wide-ranging programme of talks, performances, screenings and concerts. During the open studios, the Fiminco foundation opens its artists' residence to visitors, which hosts long residencies with its Fabrique programme and tailor-made residencies from the Talents! programme in partnership with international institutions. This special moment invites the public to discover works in progress and encourages direct exchange with the artists. Here, multidisciplinary artist Jisoo Yoo (South Korea).
The artist Ekin Kano, based in Istanbul and Berlin, has been in residence since October as part of a programme in partnership with the Turkish association T-One, which supports young talent. During meetings with the public, she passionately shares her background, her inspirations and the details of her work.
The press from the engraving workshop illustrates the quality of the technical equipment at the Fiminco Foundation. Seven workshops are available to artists in residence, enabling them to create and experiment, with the support of workshop leaders. These spaces also welcome children, schoolchildren and families as part of outreach workshops.
The Fiminco Foundation has received 1,100 applications from 110 countries following the call for applications for the 5th intake of artists. After a multi-stage selection process, they are proud to present the 2024-2025 laureates here. The residency is not only a place of creation, it is above all a meeting place where a community of artists from all over the world is created.
Article written by Yves Derai, to be found in issue n°10 of OniriQ Magazine.
