Around a table where lavish dinner parties are shared in a friendly atmosphere, the foundation Art Speaks For Itself attempts to create long-lasting bonds between international agents. As the values of ASFI are honesty and open dialogue, unlike other conventional conversations about art, there are no spectators here or any record of what is said. Since the end of the avant-gardes, contemporary art has gone in infinite directions without a hierarchy, thus allowing the emergence of a great deal of talent in art, criticism, and curatorial work. However, over the last twenty years these developments have been challenged by a powerful global trend that regards art as a tool for communication. Arnaud Cohen felt it necessary to create foundations to reverse such a trend. On the basis that this utopian venture is an artistic work, he established one of these foundations and launched the first residency in Paris – a meeting point for international curators run by an artist.
