Paris art fair gets back to business after COVID pause

Paris: After missing a year, the contemporary art world's annual get-together in Paris is roaring back to life with a feast of viewings, deal-making and social mingling - and a nod to the impact of COVID-19 in some of the works on display.

Attendees at the International Contemporary Art Fair, which welcomed dealers and VIPs on Thursday and opens to the public from Friday, have to wear masks and prove they are vaccinated, while 43 of the 170 galleries taking part are showing their works online only - a legacy of the pandemic.

But otherwise the event, in its 47th edition, is pretty much back to normal, according to organisers and attendees.