Fabien Danesi (born 15 June 1975) is a French art historian, university professor, and curator. He is noted for his research on the ready‑made in post‑modern art and for his leadership of the regional contemporary art collection FRAC Corsica.
Early life and education
Danesi earned a doctorate in art history from the Pantheon‑Sorbonne University (Paris I). His Ph‑D thesis, defended in 2002 under the supervision of Philippe Dagen, was titled The Ambivalence of the Ready‑Made in the Postmodern Era.
Academic career
From 2008 to 2021 Danesi served as maître de conférences (associate professor) in the practice and theory of photography at the Faculty of Arts, University of Picardie Jules Verne in Amiens. Prior to this appointment, he held teaching and research positions at the François‑Rabelais University of Tours, Paris 13 University, the Pantheon‑Sorbonne University, and the University of Versailles‑Saint‑Quentin‑en‑Yvelines. He is a member of the International Association of Art Critics‑France.
Curatorial activity
Danesi has curated numerous contemporary art exhibitions in France and abroad. Notable projects include:
- The Fourth Dimension (Onomichi Museum City of Art, 2014‑2015) – an exhibition of artists from the Pavillon, the creative laboratory of the Palais de Tokyo.
- At Night, the Molecules, the Horizon (FRAC Corsica, 2015) – a multidisciplinary show accompanied by a catalogue published by Silvana Editoriale.
- Urban Legends (Seoul Museum of Modern Art, 2016) – part of a program parallel to Documenta 14.
- Prince.sse.s of the Cities (Palais de Tokyo, 2019) – associate curator alongside Hugo Vitrani.
He also coordinated the artistic programming of the Casa Conti – Ange Leccia in Oletta and contributed to the Pavillon Neuflize OBC at the Palais de Tokyo (2014‑2017).
Directorship of FRAC Corsica
In October 2021 Danesi was appointed director of the Fonds régional d’art contemporain (FRAC) Corsica, the public institution responsible for acquiring, conserving, and exhibiting contemporary art on the island of Corsica. Under his leadership, FRAC Corsica has organized a series of exhibitions featuring both established and emerging artists, such as The Atlas of Wonders (2022) and Slow Passions (2022‑2023), and has expanded its educational and outreach programmes.
Selected publications
- Danesi, Fabien. The Ambivalence of the Ready‑Made in the Postmodern Era (Ph‑D thesis, Pantheon‑Sorbonne University, 2002).
- Exhibition catalogues authored or co‑authored for shows curated at FRAC Corsica and the Palais de Tokyo.
Professional affiliations
- International Association of Art Critics‑France (member).
References
- Wikipedia entry on Fabien Danesi (accessed April 2026).
- Official biography, Villa Medici residency (2007‑2008).
- University of Picardie Jules Verne faculty directory.
- Press releases from FRAC Corsica and the Palais de Tokyo.