A Salon for the 21st Century: Inside the World of Villepin.

Most galleries hang art. Villepin, however, insists on staging encounters. Nestled in the heart of Hong Kong, it isn’t so much a gallery as it is a salon - a modern-day echo of the Parisian drawing room, only with fewer cigarettes and more Zao Wou-Ki. Founded in 2019 by Dominique and Arthur de Villepin, it has built a reputation for treating art less like a commodity and more like a conversation, one that pulls in history, philosophy, and the occasional glass of wine.

The significance of Villepin lies in its quiet rebellion against the white-cube formula. Here, exhibitions unfold as lived experiences - layered narratives that invite you to linger, listen, and sometimes even question what exactly you’ve stumbled into. It’s no accident that the gallery’s DNA is rooted in the de Villepins’ personal friendships with artists; that intimacy lends an air of authenticity rare in a city where art fairs often resemble stock exchanges with better lighting.

Walking into Day Zero felt like crossing a threshold into another register - not a room of objects but a carefully staged rhythm of atmosphere and presence. After being pulled into that orbit, sitting down with Arthur de Villepin to discuss the gallery’s philosophy seemed less like an interview and more like being let in on a secret about how art can still matter in a world addicted to scrolling.

Not your average gallerist - Arthur de Villepin curates conversations as much as canvases.

1. You’ve spoken of Villepin as a home for artists rather than a traditional gallery. What does that shift in metaphor unlock - for the artist, the collector, and the viewer alike?

Arthur de Villepin: At Villepin, collecting art is more than acquisition, it’s a personal journey. For our collectors, it means receiving tailored guidance, access to museum-quality exhibitions, and the support to build

collections of lasting significance. We see ourselves as trusted partners in shaping legacies, offering a space for reflection, dialogue, and long-term stewardship that goes far beyond the transactional.

Villepin is more than a gallery. It is a home - one where art lives in harmony with elegant furniture

and design, creating an atmosphere that’s warm, where conversations naturally unfold. We

champion designers whose work complements the art, celebrating beauty in every detail.

For artists, we provide a nurturing space where their stories are honoured and thoughtfully curated.

And for every viewer, we extend an invitation into an intimate world where art is seen and lived.

2. In an era increasingly dominated by the dematerialisation of art - NFTs, online fairs, AI -the Villepin model privileges slowness, tactility, and lived experience. Is this a conscious act of cultural preservation?

Arthur: Villepin champions the physical encounter - the texture of a canvas, the silence of a room, the weight of presence. We believe in preserving more than objects; we honour the rituals, emotions, and human connections that art evokes.

In a world of fleeting impressions, we offer a space where the experience of art is intimate and grounded, something sincerely felt. And it’s about having a strong curatorial eye. I believe in curating with intention and creating relationships between artworks that speak to each other and to those who live with them. This approach draws from the tradition of galleries as places where art has a voice, where collections were shaped by vision as

much as by taste.

3. Your family history is deeply embedded in diplomacy, literature, and the cultural fabric of France. How do these legacies shape the ethos of Villepin - not only in what you exhibit, but in how you engage?

Arthur: Villepin’s ethos is shaped by a global sensibility, rooted in a French cultural foundation and enriched by lived experience across continents. My own upbringing across India, the United States, and Africahas given me a deep appreciation for different ways of seeing and connecting, and this perspective is woven into everything we do at Villepin.

I come from a family where diplomacy and culture have always gone hand in hand, and with both my mother and sister being artists, the instinct to give direction to meaning and art has always come naturally to me.

And this heritage inspires a gallery model that values depth and nuance, engaging collectors and artists not only through exhibitions, but through a shared responsibility to preserve, care for, and carry forward collections of lasting

significance.

4. The 'Day Zero' exhibition was emotionally resonant and almost monastic in its conceptual clarity. Do you see Villepin's curatorial practice as responding to the world's noise, or offering something akin to a pause button?

Arthur: DAY ZER0 by Yukimasa Ida might feel monastic at first, as it was the result of a meditative process, but it was imagined as a contemporary Noah’s Ark, created in response to a world accelerating toward innovation and uncertainty.

Inspired by Stanley Kubrick, we transformed the gallery into a cinematic, immersive environment. It was an exhibition about gravity at a time when everything felt in motion.

No two exhibitions at Villepin are the same. Each begins with the artist - their story, their practice, and the emotional terrain they inhabit. The gallery adapts to reflect their vision, becoming a space of quiet contemplation or bold provocation.

For The Loss of Human Face?, we recreated Francis Bacon’s studio and the bar he frequented, immersing viewers in the raw energy of his world.

For Zao Wou-Ki’s Eternal Return to China, we drew on references from Suzhou’s museum and gardens, as imagined by I.M. Pei, to evoke a sense of return and spatial memory.

As our curatorial voice evolves, we’ve shifted from introspection to community by creating spaces of dialogue and belonging. Our current show, Worlds Within: Art as Refuge, leans into that quietude,offering a warm, behind-the-door intimacy.

5. The collector’s role is often reduced to acquisition, yet Villepin seems to suggest something more - perhaps even stewardship. How do you reconcile the private act of collecting with the public work of cultural memory?

Arthur: We see collectors as custodians of meaning, not just owners of objects. Collecting becomes a form of cultural authorship - preserving stories and legacies that matter.

This belief led to the creation of the Foundation for Art and Culture. At a time when we could have focused on expanding Villepin's physical footprint, we chose instead to invest in a philanthropic direction – to build something lasting, something that ultimately belongs to the wider public.

The true destiny of a collection is not in private hands, but in museums, where it can shape societies and inspire generations.

The Foundation partners with leading institutions and thinkers, with a focus on strengthening the art ecosystem in Asia. One of our most meaningful projects is the transformation of Zao Wou-Ki’s residency, Gaudigny, into a living legacy of his philosophy - a space for reflection, creation, and exchange.

In Hong Kong, we’re preparing an initiative to foster cross-cultural dialogue, exploring the

intersections of heritage and contemporary thought. We believe in through foundations, in

museums, and in collections, we can shape enduring artist legacies.

6. Villepin’s cadence feels more literary than commercial. In your programming and publications, how do you think about narrative form - about exhibitions not just as visual experiences, but as authored texts?

Arthur: Each exhibition is conceived as a chapter in a larger narrative. Our publications extend the story by layering context and emotion and offering support that goes beyond the lived experience. This is why we place so much importance on our texts, especially in a time when fewer galleries are investing in printed materials. Words have meaning and they help us preserve the spirit of an exhibition long after it closes.

7. Much of your curatorial language evokes intimacy, reflection, and ritual. In an industry that often trades in spectacle, does Villepin see itself as countercultural?

Arthur: Villepin’s curatorial approach is rooted in creativity and elegance, offering emotionally resonant experiences that go beyond spectacle. Today, we are at a crossroads between technology and humanity.

As explored in our exhibitions, DAY ZER0 and The Rebirth of Nature, technology is transforming how we connect, but it is also distancing us from our senses. Art reminds us of what makes us human. Art keeps us grounded.

So, I strive to create spaces where collectors and artists engage in meaningful dialogue, guided by our values and a commitment to long-term legacy building. Our model reflects my passion towards curating with excellence to shape cultural memory, not just market trends. Our focus has always been on integrity and intention.

8. How does geography - whether it be Hong Kong, Paris, or elsewhere - inform Villepin’s evolving identity? Is your vision globally resonant, or intimately site-specific? Or perhaps something in between?

Arthur: Villepin’s permanent home in Hong Kong anchors our identity, while our reach extends across cities like Paris, Seoul, Shanghai, London, and New York - reflecting a globally engaged vision. We invest in temporary, site-specific exhibitions, such as Myonghi Kang’s The Colors of Time at KIR Seoul, that allow us to respond to the energy of a place and create unique experiences for our community.

Our advisors specialise in key regions and movements, from South-East Asian, Chinese, Korean, and Asian Modern artists to Western Masters, Post-War, and Contemporary art, ensuring our programming remains both regionally informed and internationally relevant.

Geography shapes how I connect with collectors and artists, allowing us to remain globally connected while curating with

sensitivity to local context and cultural nuance.

9. As the art world grapples with ecological, political, and cultural flux, how does Villepin future-proof its relevance - while remaining anchored in authenticity rather than trend?

Arthur: Authenticity is our compass. It’s what guides every decision we make, from how we support collectors to how we invest in the future of art. It's why Villepin offers high-touch collection management, working with world-class partners in logistics, appraisals, inventory systems, and eventually art financing, to ensure collectors receive seamless, trusted support.

We’re committed to arts education and to nurturing future generations, while actively supporting institutions and foundations that share our long-term vision. We’re constantly absorbing and responding to the world around us.

Exhibitions like The Loss of Human Face? and The Rebirth of Nature explored what it means to stay authentic in a time when people wear masks – literally and metaphorically - and

when technology risks disconnecting us emotionally from each other and from nature.

Rather than chasing trends, we focus on what lasts: curating with care, encouraging dialogue, and building legacies that matter.

10. If Villepin were to draft a manifesto - not as a gallery, but as a cultural interlocutor - what might its first line be? And beyond thought, what kind of feeling would you hope it leaves behind?

Arthur: This is something I find really interesting - because I don’t see Villepin as just a gallery anymore.

We’ve grown into a home for both collectors and artists. It’s a place where legacies are shaped

through carefully curated experiences, expert guidance, and bespoke collection management.

Our focus is on building a global community that feels supported, inspired, and genuinely connected. This is the passion behind Villepin and what drives us!

The first line of our manifesto would be:

“Managing collections, creating artist legacies.”

11. Can you speak to the gallery’s current exhibitions and future curatorial direction? What themes, artists, or philosophies are guiding the next chapter of Villepin’s journey?

Arthur: Our current exhibition, Worlds Within: Art as Refuge, brings together Zao Wou-Ki, Fernando Zóbel, Lê Phổ, and Myonghi Kang, four artists whose lives were shaped by exile or travel, and the search for belonging. Each found their personal refuge in their practice: Myonghi in nature, Lê Phổ in memory and people, Zóbel in line and form, and Zao Wou-Ki in eternity and the tension of dual identity.

The exhibition reflects our ongoing commitment to championing Asian artists and offering a setting where their practices can be engaged with in a warm and intimate environment.

Art anchors us in a time of constant change. So, for the foreseeable future our curatorial direction will align with this shift - that Villepin is a home, both in spirit and experience.

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Words and questions by AW.

Answers courtesy of Arthur de Villepin.

Photos courtesy of Villepin Art.