Cartier founded the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris.
The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain was created in 1984 by Cartier SA as a private institution devoted to contemporary art. Its founding director was Marie-Claude Beaud, while Alain-Dominique Perrin, then a leading Cartier executive, was closely associated with its creation.
The foundation was initially based at Jouy-en-Josas, outside Paris. In 1994, it moved to a striking glass-and-steel building at 261 Boulevard Raspail, designed by architect Jean Nouvel and surrounded by a woodland garden landscaped by artist Lothar Baumgarten. The site became known for combining architecture, nature, and experimental exhibitions.
A common mix-up is confusing the foundation with Cartier’s historic jewelry collection or with the Cartier Foundation for Nature, a separate environmental initiative. The art foundation presents exhibitions, performances, concerts, publications, and works by international artists. In 2025, it relocated to a new Paris venue near the Louvre, reopening in the Palais-Royal area.