When it comes to contemporary art in Paris, there’s more than the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés. These days, one of the most intriguing destinations lies just beyond the city’s inner circle: Romainville – a fast-developing hub hosting major galleries, project spaces, and arts organizations under the umbrella of Komunuma.
NIKA Project Space is nestled in this newly energized district, a project space championing craft, identity, and cross-cultural dialogue. Their current group exhibition, Nonlocality, extends a warm invitation to experience a quieter yet deeply resonant corner of the Paris art world.
Why Romainville? Komunuma’s Vision As An Emerging Cultural Cluster
Established around 2019, Komunuma was launched to revitalize industrial sites in Romainville and transform them into galleries, studios, and cultural venues. Supported by local authorities and private partnerships, Komunuma has since attracted established names like Galerie Air de Paris, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, and In Situ – Fabienne Leclerc.
These galleries co-locate near each other, allowing visitors to explore multiple shows without crisscrossing the entire city. The model aims to expand the “Grand Paris” definition, promoting pockets of creative activity beyond central arrondissements.
Accessible Yet Off the Beaten Path
Romainville sits about six miles (roughly ten kilometers) northeast of Paris’s city center. You can reach it by taking Metro Line 5 (heading to Bobigny–Pablo Picasso) and then a short bus ride (bus lines 105 or 129, depending on your stop). This brief journey rewards you with large industrial spaces repurposed as sleek, minimalistic galleries—an aesthetic contrast to the city’s more historic, ornate art venues.
NIKA Project Space: Where Tradition Meets Contemporary Perspectives
NIKA Project Space is one of Romainville’s standout newcomers. Its exhibitions frequently blend traditional art forms—such as textile work or craft-based practices—with contemporary narratives. Visitors can expect to see works highlighting artisanal methods while grappling with migration, memory, and personal identity themes.
Part of a Broader Shift
Spike Art Magazine and Artforum reported that the drive behind these Romainville spaces is to offer an alternative to conventional Parisian gallery models. NIKA’s program, in particular, resonates with that mission: bridging the gap between local and global influences, old and new craft, and collective versus personal histories.
Nonlocality: A Group Show Rooted in Craft and Identity
The show’s title, Nonlocality, references how identity, craft, and cultural memory can transcend geography. Textiles, after all, have moved across continents for centuries, bearing visual and tactile records of people’s journeys. This sense of nonlocal connection—where stories merge and adapt—lies at the exhibition’s core.
Extended until 8 March 2025, the exhibition unites four artists who integrate felt, wool, and other traditional textiles into artworks that question how we define home, history, and identity. The lineup includes:
- Gegee Ayurzana
- Explores the intersection of Mongolian traditions and contemporary forms. Look for sculptural or wall-based pieces incorporating organic fibers, reflecting nomadic heritage and shifting boundaries.
- Nazilya Nagimova
- Investigates displacement and the layered concepts of “home,” translating her experiences into fabrics and patterns that suggest fragility and resilience.
- Adrian Pepe
- Known for experimental felt-making techniques, pushing the medium’s historical uses into conceptual territory. Pepe’s works often examine material memory and how textiles can symbolize the passage of time.
- Nomin Zezegmaa
- Blends abstract geometry with traditional wool-crafting. The result is an understated yet profoundly emotive approach to storytelling, where form and fiber evoke collective and personal identities.
Planning Your Visit to Komunuma in Romainville
If you’re seeking a weekend art excursion that goes beyond the usual Parisian path, mark your calendar for Sunday, January 12. On this special Open Sunday, NIKA Project Space will open its doors from 3–7 pm, in tandem with six other galleries in Romainville.
It’s a casual yet engaging way to explore multiple shows in a single afternoon, meet local gallerists, and immerse yourself in an up-and-coming neighborhood that’s quietly buzzing with creative energy—reminiscent of other city-edge art districts around the world.
Key Details
- Exhibition: Nonlocality (extended until 8 March 2025)
- Open Sunday: 12 January, 3–7 pm
- Venue: NIKA Project Space, Romainville (Greater Paris)
- Map & Directions: My Curated Google Map
- Official Website: nika-projects.com
What Else to See at the Komunuma Gallery Complex in Romainville
Location & Transport
- Address: Komunuma, 43 Rue de la Commune de Paris, 93230 Romainville, France
- Metro + Bus: Take Line 5 (toward Bobigny–Pablo Picasso) and connect to local bus lines (e.g., 105 or 129). If you prefer direct access, ride-hailing apps and taxis can speed up the trip.
- More Tips: Refer to my Paris City Guide for more detailed information.
Beyond Central Paris: Why Romainville & Komunuma Deserve a Look
Visiting NIKA Project Space for the Nonlocality show reveals a different facet of Paris’s art tapestry, one that weaves together handcrafted media, diaspora narratives, and the creative innovation fueling Grand Paris. At its heart, the exhibition underscores how cultural memory and personal identity can be threaded through materials as unassuming as wool or felt.
Romainville’s development represents a forward-thinking model for Grand Paris—pushing cultural activity beyond historical centers into revitalized suburban areas. For visitors:
- Discover Emerging Talent: These galleries often take chances on lesser-known but conceptually strong artists—like those featured in Nonlocality—giving you a first-hand look at fresh voices.
- Less Tourist Overcrowding: While top Paris districts can be packed, Romainville offers a calmer space to engage with art, plus the charm of exploring evolving neighborhoods.
- Insight into Local Parisian Life: Romainville’s community vibe means you might chat with locals in a small coffee shop or catch a glimpse of the day-to-day life that shapes the suburb’s identity.
Whether you’re an art collector scouting unique pieces, a craft devotee enamored by textiles, or simply curious to see what’s unfolding beyond the central arrondissements, Romainville delivers a fresh perspective on contemporary art. Nonlocality invites us to reconsider the idea of “place” itself—reminding us that stories move, adapt, and find new forms in unexpected corners.
