Paris, France — The Association for the International Diffusion of French Art better known by its French acronym ADIAF, brings together 300 collectors of contemporary art who are committed to artistic creation. And since 2000, this consortium of collectors has awarded one of the most prestigious prizes  in the world of contemporary art. The Marcel Duchamp Prize was established in partnership with the Centre Pompidou and endowed with €90,000 and the finalists of the 2025 prize are currently exhibiting their works in myriad mediums in the Museum of Modern Art on the banks of the Seine ,although the annual show is historically held in the Centre Pompidou which is currently closed for renovation. 

The exhibition of the 2025 finalists offers an exciting discovery of the French contemporary art scene. There are the poetic installations of South African artist Bianca Bondi who lives and works in Paris along with the spectacular paintings of French artist Lionel Sabatté , the hybrid paintings of French artist Eva Nielsen in latex, leather, silk and silkscreen. And the works of the Chinese-born artist Xie Lei who was named the winner of the Marcel Duchamp Prize 2025. He currently lives and works in Paris. Xie Lei’s method offers a different perception of time, encouraging the viewers to slow down their gaze and escape the intoxicating rush of acceleration and immediacy. In his most recent works, Xie Lei explores an intermediary world —between sleep and death, torture and eroticism. These works are marked by dark tones that transform however into luminous and powerful hues. He was awarded the prize last October 26th by an international jury composed of directors of art institutions, collectors and two artists. 

The endearing installations of Bianca Bondi aim to celebrate the life of matter emphasizing interconnectedness, transience, and the cycles of life and death. Passionate about ecology and the occult, Bianca Bondi combines these fields in works of a transformative nature in which the aura of objects plays a central role. She collects the precious pieces in her installation works herself or they are given to her by friends. For her flowers installation she worked with the fragrance maker Givaudan to scent it with perfumes that attract pollinators. Painter, photographer and visual artist Eva Nielsen’s works are all about layering, landscapes of successive and immersive layers. 

The paintings, drawings and sculptures of French artist Lionel Sabatté proved to be a stand out, particularly the large oil paintings on canvas (see first photo). It is a very mineral world of oil paints combined with raw silk and natural volcanic dust known as pouzzolane from the volcanic Auvergne region of France. He developed his own technique for creating his immersive paintings, working from a type of bridge he built from which he pours the oil onto the canvas moving the paints along his platform. He then throws in the volcanic ash moving it around with small brushes. 

Since its creation in 2000, the Marcel Duchamp Prize has honored numerous artists who have gone on to become prominent figures on the international art scene like Xavier Veilhan and Barthélémy Toguo. The ADIAF has organised 50 exhibitions on the French scene showcasing both the nominees and prize winners, including around 20 international exhibitions with the support of the Institut Français.  The association has just announced the four finalists for the Marcel Duchamp Prize 2026: Joël Andrianomearisoa, David Brognon & Stéphanie Rollin,  Laura Henno and Josèfa Ntjam.  The current Marcel Duchamp Prize 2025 exhibition is on until February 22nd. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette

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