40, rue de Sèvres to host "The garden of Paul Haim" exhibition

A prominent art dealer and collector during the second half of the 20th century, Paul Haim is known for introducing impressionism and modern art to a Japanese audience. Throughout his career, Haim formed ties with many contemporary artists, some of whom became his friends and would go on to contribute to his inspired collection.

Haim’s fantastic collection was born at the end of the 1960s when Paul and his wife, the photographer and painter Jeannette Leroy, settled on the Basque Coast. Over the next few years, Paul Haim would expand his garden in order to make space for his growing collection. Haim’s gardener, Gilbert Carty, worked with Haim to meticulously design a garden that would breathe new life into each piece. Over time, the collection would grow to include 40 masterpieces, offering an exceptional overview of twentieth century sculpture. 

Since the collector’s passing in 2006, his daughter, Dominique Haim, has overseen the collection. Until now, the collection has only been made accessible to a privileged few. 2020 marks its grand public opening following Haim’s daughter’s decision to auction the works with Christie’s. The collection will leave the Basque Coast for a sojourn at 40, rue de Sèvres. The Kering and Balenciaga head office will temporarily showcase this mythical collection which includes the works of Bourdelle, Calder, Chillida, di Suvero, Léger, Maillol, Miró, Noguchi, Plensa, Rodin, Niki de Saint-Phalle and Zao Wou-Ki.

True to its commitment to transform 40, rue de Sèvres into a meeting space for sharing art and culture, Kering decided to make the exhibition public, from October 15 through October 21. In strict accordance with the current health measures, about 2,000 visitors were able to admire the unique collection.