ArtForum’s Diarist, Lillian Davies, gives the aisle-level view of FIAC:

As VIP crowds pushed into the tent at 4 PM, someone shouted, “It’s better than Frieze—everything is sold!”  [ . . . ]

Claudia Cargnel noted that there were far fewer American collectors this year. But according to Berlin dealer Jan Wentrup, fewer outside collectors might not really be a problem: “London is play money, and Paris is serious money, serious collectors.” Foxy Production’s Michael Gillespie agreed. “It’s smaller than London, so there’s a hunger for new galleries coming in—it’s not oversaturated. [ . . . ]

Adam Sheffer of Cheim & Read argued that “FIAC seems more important than Frieze because there’s more of a mix of work, and there’s a bigger collector base for blue chip work in France and Belgium. Kunsthalle Basel president Martin Hatebur continued: “The Grand Palais is very airy, and there are fewer people. At Frieze, you are surrounded by ten million people who are not buying. FIAC is more elitist.”

The Art Newspaper files it’s own, more subdued report but includes this kind of enthusiasm:

“As a whole Frieze is not as compelling as I feel it should be,” art advisor Todd Levin told The Art Newspaper. “Over the last two years Fiac has become increasingly essential to me, next year I might skip London—but not Paris.”

Palais Intrigue (ArtForum)

FIAC Puts the Squeeze on Frieze (The Art Newspaper)