Presented by Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris / Brussels), two monumental inflatable Ted Hyber by Fabrice Hyber will be installed on the plaza in front of the main entrance to the Grand Palais, greeting visitors to the 28^th edition of Art Paris. The first is a 10-metrehigh bear-shaped sculpture made from green PVC, a colour evocative of chlorophyl. It was made during Hyber's ...de la Vallée exhibition at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai in 2025, which followed on from La Vallée at the Fondation Cartier in 2022/2023. The second, entitled Ted Hyb'Air, is a 5-metre high transparent structure made especially for Art Paris.

Hyber (b. 1961) is a multidisciplinary artist who is committed to defending the environment. A key member of the French art scene, he combines art, science and nature across a wide variety of mediums, rather like a constantly metamorphosing rhizome. The Ted Hyber figure, whose name is a shortened version of Teddy Bear paired with the artist’s surname, first appeared in his work in 1998 and is the main character among the Hyber heroes. The latter (Hyber héros in French) are humanoid figures – the ghost, Father Christmas, the sponge man, cellular man and Homme de Bessines – that Hyber incorporates in his work and with which he has identified since the start. There are more than thirty all told, heroes who, in the manner of mutants, are the expression of a certain form of behaviour and a growing awareness.

The giant green bear in front of the Grand Palais is like a tutelary figure offering its protection, a sign of happiness and optimism, whereas its transparent counterpart seems to offer refuge, storing up, as it were, fresh air to preserve all living creatures from the surrounding pollution. It acts as a reminder that we are in the throes of an environmental crisis, while simultaneously inviting visitors to find a measure of hope and take an interest in the question.

As part of Art Paris 2026, Fabrice Hyber, represented by Galerie Nathalie Obadia, is among the artists selected for the thematic exhibition on the French art scene, Babel – Art and Language in France, curated by Loïc Le Gall. He will also unveil, within the fair, in a space designed by himself, the 2026 capsule collection he created for Vilebrequin, the famous swimwear brand. Finally, he will be invited to speak as President of the Cnap (Centre National des Arts Plastiques) during the roundtable discussion on Thursday 9 April, at 2:30 p.m., titled The Cnap and the French Art Scene, which will bring together, in the fair’s conference space, Martin Bethenod, Director of the Cnap; Sébastien Faucon, Director of the LaM in Villeneuve-d’Ascq; and Fabienne Leclerc, gallery owner.