Located at the westernmost tip of Île de Nantes, Hangar 21 is better known by its moniker, Hangar à Bananes (aka, the “Banana Hangar) due to its unique history: designed in 1949-50, it was built to receive exotic fruit from Africa — like bananas and pineapples — which were then unloaded and stored in this air-conditioned hangar.
As property of the port of Nantes Saint-Nazaire, it was renovated to host the first edition of the Estuaire Nantes <> Saint-Nazaire art biennial in 2007, where it was used as a vast exhibition space.
Dubbed the HAB Galerie in 2011 — and managed by the public corporation Le Voyage à Nantes, which promotes Nantes and the surrounding region as a travel destination using culture — this permanent space is dedicated to contemporary art. Exhibitions here offer an opportunity to explore an artist’s work, which is planned and completed in-situ, whether it features videos, sculptures, paintings, installations — or all the above.
HAB Galerie also boasts an excellent bookstore- gift shop, with a wide array of publications on contemporary art, art history, architecture, design, graphic novels, children’s books, and a selection of original objects made by local creatives.
Previous exhibitions
- 2012 Roman Signer “Mon Voyage à Nantes”
- 2013 Felice Varini “Suites d’éclats”
- 2014 Huang Yong Ping “les mues”
- 2015 Taturo Atzu, Tatzu Nishi, Tatzu Oozu, Tatsouro Bashi, Tazro Niscino “Solo Group Show“
- 2016 Ange Leccia “La mer allée avec le soleil“
- 2017 Daniel Dewar & Grégory Gicquel “Le Nu et la Roche“
- 2018 Céleste Boursier-Mougenot “fluides“
- 2019 Claire Tabouret “If only the see could sleep“
- 2020 Martine Feipel et Jean Bechameil “Automatic Revolution”
- 2021 Gilles Barbier “Travailler le dimanche“
- 2022 Bertrand Dezoteux “Mémoires d’un touriste”
- 2022 Michael Beutler “Plonger et puiser”
- 2023 Till Rabus and Leopold Rabus “Une ébauche lente à venir“
- 2023 Barthélémy Toguo “Habiter la Terre”
- 2024 Caroline Mesquita “CuCO and CO“
Nantes is transforming
Nantes is changing to become an even more ecological, inclusive, and dynamic city. To do this, new public works will reinforce our already existing ecofriendly modes of transport: new tram lines, green zones for pedestrians and cyclists, and more. From 2024, these major urban projects will disrupt traffic around Les Machines de l’Île and Parc des Chantiers, with the Pont Anne-de-Bretagne bridge closed off to cars (the bridge will remain accessible to pedestrians and cyclists). Solutions will be offered throughout construction to make it easier for everyone to get around, like: increased frequency of several public transport lines, more Naolib bike-share bicycles, and more parking spots in park-and-ride lots.
For further information
HAB Galerie, Quai des Antilles, Nantes
How to get there?
C5 Chronobus, Quai des Antilles stop.
T. 02 28 08 77 28
E-mail
Open during the exhibition periods
In case of heatwave :
For the comfort and safety of all, this site are likely to close temporarily. Decisions to close will be taken at the last minute in order to keep the site open as long as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused if the site is closed during your visit. Don’t hesitate to check if other stops are open nearby (parks, museums, etc.). Just follow the green line!
Gift shop and bookstore: books related to the artists on display, alongside a wide choice of titles in categories like contemporary art, art history, architecture, design, comics, or young adult, as well as a selection of designer and fun objects !