Artful Transformation

With international travel that has resumed, art lovers are returning to France in droves - many to visit the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection, which finally opened to the public last year. Prestige looks back on how an architectural landmark was transformed into a spectacular new modern art museum.

"For years, I have longed to be able to show my collection in Paris, the city I love," remarked François Pinault at the May 2021 inauguration of the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection modern art museum. "When the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, invited me in 2015 to consider the Bourse de Commerce as the Parisian home for my collection, I did not hesitate for a second."

The now 86-year-old Pinault has been an avid art collector since the early 1970s, amassing an exceptional body of accumulated works that numbers well over 10,000. Made up of paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs, sound pieces, installations and performances, by almost 400 different contemporary artists - from every continent and spanning multiple generations - it's hardly surprising that housing this vast treasure trove requires its own museum. In fact, it requires several, and this billionaire businessman definitely has the money to build them.

According to Bloomberg's 2021 Billionaires Index, Pinault's wealth is estimated to be almost US$54 billion, earning him the title of the 26th richest person in the world. The son of a timber trader, Pinault went on to found global luxury group Kering (formerly Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), which counts in its portfolio renowned luxury brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and Boucheron, among others. Meanwhile, the investment company he founded, Groupe Artémis, also maintains an impressive portfolio, encompassing the worlds of fashion, fine wine, art, tourism, publishing, sports, food and technology.