PARIS (AP) – Her neck was broken and she was being kept alive by machines after the car crash that nearly killed her.
Most people who come back from these make-or-break moments in life find religion, others new meaning to life, but very few decide to take on an “insignificant” Paris art fair on the brink of collapse and succeed in transforming it into one of the most influential in the world.
But there’s nothing ordinary about bright-eyed New Zealander Jennifer Flay, 56, who in 2003 defied her instincts to say “no” and took on the challenge to lead France’s Foire International d’Art Contemporain – and herself – on an incredible journey.
Since then, FIAC has grown from next to nothing to become one of the world’s most talked-about arts events, attracting over 241 exhibitors from around 30 nations and churning out hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.
At its Wednesday opening, Paris was alight with artistic events and performances, breath-taking installations in the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre – and the fair spilled into the far reaches of the Seine river with a new forum that celebrates artistic up-and-comers from 17 countries called “Officielle.”