An Art Guide to Paris Featuring Lauren Collins and Constance Dovergne
Exhibitions, performances, and events that stand out this season.
Today’s newsletter is a guide to what’s happening in Paris this spring and summer. It includes 67 recommendations from museum and gallery shows to music, opera, film, and theatre. I added lectures and conversations around art and literature, and I didn’t forget the little ones, family time is at the very end.
I also asked two Parisians, Lauren Collins and Constance Dovergne, for their recommendations. Here they are, in their own words.
Photographs and a Restaurant
Two Recommendations
Lauren Collins, staff writer at the New Yorker who also runs Lettre Recommandée
I’m keen to see Jeu de Paume’s exhibition of the photographs of Madeleine de Sinéty—daughter of impoverished aristocrats, chronicler of daily life in the Bréton village of Poilley, late-in-life immigrant to Maine, where she shot “elemental occupations” such as woodcutting with horse teams. Her work—the little I know of it—is flat-out beautiful: rubber booted children grabble in ball pit of apples; a mother pickets for daycare funding, a sliver of pink sweater peeking out of her coat, perfectly matched to the flyers strewn on the ground. But I’m just as interested in the way in which de Sinéty made it: over time, as a part of a community, with attention to the possibilities and vulnerabilities of society in the round.
from June 12 to September 27 at the Jeu de Paume
Constance Dovergne, lifestyle chief at Elle France who also runs Carte Blanche
Lately I’ve become less interested in being among the first to try the latest fashionable opening and more interested in enjoying what won’t last. In Paris, as anywhere else, nothing does! (terrace heaters! €1.90 metro tickets! riding scooters without helmets!) And I’ve just heard that Le Repaire de Cartouche, an 11th-arrondissement institution praised by in-the-know chefs, is for sale. So these days might be our last chance to enjoy this place that is everything American foodies fantasize about in Parisian restaurants without the superficial, folkloric and overpriced gloss you’ll get at, let’s say, L’Ami Louis. The decor is old school (insane seventies tiles in the restrooms), the terrines are legendary and the historic staff reminds me of the pot-au-feu restaurants where my grandmother took me when I was growing up in Béarn. The 30€ bistrot menu is everything you need to survive the last days of winter (bouillon de poule vermicelles, lieu noir et orzo au safran, poulet braisé aux morilles). And if you do survive, prepare to be rewarded with the most anticipated food event of spring: the reopening of Le Chateaubriand by beloved chef (and friend!) Robert Mendoza (who previously made a splash at Le Saint-Sébastien, Vivant 2 and numerous pop-ups), under the blessing of legendary chef Iñaki Aizpitarte.
Le Repaire de Cartouche, 8 Bd des Filles du Calvaire, 75011 Paris
Art
Museums and Galleries
Josef Albers: Duets
Organized in collaboration with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, this exhibition features important paintings and works on paper from the 1930s through the 1970s. (David Zwirner, January 15-March 21)
Tomorrow: Yes by Erwin Wurm
The exhibition unfolds around two monumental sculptures: a compressed schoolhouse and a six-meter sailboat. (Thaddaeus Ropac, January 17-April 11)
Global Warming by Martin Parr
Drawing from a body of 180 works that began with black-and-white photographs, Global Warming examines recurring patterns in human behavior. (Jeu de Paume, January 30-May 24)
Huma Bhabha / Alberto Giacometti
Responding to Giacometti’s work, artist Huma Bhabha presents a series of sculptures now on view at the Giacometti Institute: “Both artists draw from the art of all epochs and all civilizations—from the art of Ancient Greece to the Renaissance, as well as African arts and cinema—to create new forms and original modes of perception, other visions of humanity.” (l’Institut Giacometti, February 2 -May 24)
All is Portraiture by Barkley L. Hendricks
This is the artist’s first solo show in Europe. All Is Portraiture highlights the central role portraiture occupies in his practice and offers a comprehensive overview of his multifaceted approach. (Marian Goodman, February 6-April 4)
American Images by Dana Lixenberg
In Dana Lixenberg’s first retrospective, the MEP will display more than 30 years of her work, including iconic photographs like her 1993 portrait of Tupac Shakur. (MEP, February 11-May 24)
Photographe de Guerre by Robert Capa
With more than 60 works on display, this exhibition offers a historical look at a reality that is still new: the risks of covering war. (Musée de la Libération de Paris, February 18-December 19)
Clair-Obscur
20 contemporary artists from the Pinault Collection are placed side-by-side to explore pictorial representations of chiaroscuro in contemporary art. (Bourse de Commerce, opening March 4)
Renoir and Love
For the first time since 1985, Renoir’s masterpieces are shown together in France. (Musée d’Orsay, March 17-July 19)
This Will Not End Well by Nan Goldin
This is Nan Goldin’s first retrospective in France featuring her videos, which she calls “films made up of stills”. It includes six main titles spanning 50 years of work. (Grand Palais, March 18-June 21)
Matisse
More than 230 paintings, drawings, books, textiles, objects and watercolors by Matisse between 1941 and 1954 will be on view at the Grand Palais, an exhibition in partnership with the Centre Pompidou. (Grand Palais, March 24-July 26)
The Ambition of Painting by Henri Rousseau
The Musée de l’Orangerie is the first to welcome loans from the Barnes Foundation collection, bringing together for the first time a significant body of work by Henri Rousseau. (Musée de l’Orangerie, March 25-July 20)
Henry Taylor
Henry Taylor is one of the greatest figures in American contemporary painting. In this dedicated exhibition, the Picasso Museum presents nearly 100 works in 13 different rooms. (Musée de Picasso, April 8-September 6)
Lee Miller
The Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris prepares to receive a retrospective on the works of American photographer Lee Miller. Curated by the Tate Modern, the exhibition features 250 prints, many on display for the first time. (Musée d’Art Moderne, April 10-August 2)
Living Bodies by Michelangelo and Rodin
This Spring at the Louvre, the sculptures of Michelangelo and August Rodin will be exhibited together to highlight their mythical and transformative qualities. (Louvre, April 15-July 20)
Calder. Rêver en Équilibre by Alexander Calder
A retrospective to celebrate the works of Alexander Calder on the anniversary of his arrival in France 100 years ago. (Louis Vuitton Foundation, April 15-August 16)
Alechinsky, Balzac, Picasso, Rodin... les voies ardentes de la création
This exhibition shows the connection between labor and creation by looking at artists who, like Balzac, worked hard to create their oeuvres. (Maison de Balzac, through March 15)
exhibitions ending soon
Philip Guston and Raymond Pettibon (Musée Picasso, through March 1)
Gerhard Richter (Fondation Louis Vuitton, through March 2)
100 Years of Art Deco (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, through April 26)
General Exhibition (Fondation Cartier Palais Royale, through August 31)
Events
Events Across Disciplines
February 2 | The French-Mauritian writer Nathacha Appanah discusses her most recent work, which addresses the issue of femicide. (Bourse de Commerce)
February 10 | Arundhati Roy talks about her new novel Mother Mary Comes to Me with the French writer Frédérique Leichter-Flack. The conversation will be in English. She will be signing copies of her novel at Shakespeare and Co. the next day. (Amphithéâtre Émile Boutmy)
February 11 - 13 | The Memorial for Those Who Did Not Fall in War organized by Columbia University’s Global Center in Paris, is a symposium that will gather collaborators from across the globe to discuss what living in war and peace means to society today. (Reid Hall at Columbia Global Center)
March 13 | A Beowulf reading will take place at the Sorbonne with Professor Wilfrid Rotgé. The text will be read in English. (Amphithéâtre Guizot - Sorbonne)
March 26 | Daniel Mendelsohn on his new translation of The Odyssey and the impact reading the classics can have on one’s life. (Shakespeare and Co.)
April 9 | Ben Lerner on his new novel Transcription I. (Shakespeare and Co.)
April 17 - 19 | Festival du Livre de Paris, a three-day book festival in Paris will gather several international artists and publishers. (Grand Palais)
Music and Theatre
Concerts and Performances
January 21 -
March 14 | Hamlet by Ivo Van Hove
Odeon Theatre de l’Europe
January 29 -
March 8 | Contre a play based on John Cassavetes & Gena Rowlands
Petit Saint-Martin
February 4 -
February 5 | Opera To Be Sung by Pascal Dusapin, with Pharrell Williams
Fondation Louis Vuitton
February 10 | Meredith Monk with Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffen
Bourse de Commerce
February 13 -
February 15 | Présences Électronique an electronic music festival
Maison de la Radio et de la Musique
February 17 | Alvin Lucier performed by Charles Curtis, Oren Ambarchi and Stephen O’Malley
Église du Saint-Esprit
March 10 | Sylvia Plath’s Lady Lazarus in Concert, with Álfheiður Guðmundsdóttir
Cité de la Musique
March 18 -
March 19 | An Evening with David Byrne
La Seine Musicale
March 20 -
April 16 | Bovary Madame by Christophe Honoré
Theatre de la Ville de Paris
April 2 -
May 12 | Romeo and Juliet by Rudolf Noureev
Opéra Bastille
April 10 -
April 13 | Caterine Barbieri
Cité de la Musique
May 13 -
June 28 | Lumières, Lumières, Lumières, a play based on Virginia Woolf’s novel To The Lighthouse by Florent Siaud
Comédie-Française Studio
May 29 | Aya Nakamura
Stade de France
July 9 -
July 12 | Nelken (Carnations) by Pina Bausch
Châteauvallon-Liberté, Amphithéâtre, Châteauvallon, France
Film
What to Watch and Where
January 28 -
February 15 | Márta Mészáros retrospective, first woman awarded at Cannes
Cinémathèque Française
February 11 -
March 1 | Essential Asian Thrillers
Cinémathèque Française
February 14 | Night is Short, Walk on Girl by Masaaki Yuasa (2017)
Musée Guimet
February 18 | Women Are Born Twice by Yûzô Kawashima (1961)
MCJP
February 25 | Look Back by Kiyotaka Oshiyama (2024)
Musée Guimet
March 7 | Two Golden Lions by Lu Yi (2022)
Musée Cernuschi
March 11 | Early Summer by Yasujirô Ozu (1956)
MCJP
March 28 | Teddy Gray’s Sweet Factory (2011) & Think of England (1999) by Martin Parr
Jeu de Paume
Family
Kids Too
February 1 -
June 27 | Petit Sculpteur à Quatre Mains, after listening to a story about one of the museum’s sculptures, families create their own with clay. (4 years and older at Musée Bourdelle *the museum also offers activities using clay for younger and older children)
February 4 -
February 18 | Tapisser la Terre, children explore the universe of the artist Otobong Nkanga while manipulating new materials. (4 to 6 years old at Musée d’art Moderne *the museum also offers activities around this exhibition for younger and older children)
February 7 | Lunettes à Vision Wow, children make their own philosopher glasses to equip themselves with a new outlook. (6 to 12 years old at Palais de Tokyo)
February 7 -
July 18 | La Fabrique des Nymphéas, families design their own interpretation of a water garden using floating inks in a Japanese technique called suminagashi. (Musée de l’Orangerie)
February 14 | “Démouler le vrai du faux”, create real and fake museum pieces by using molds. (6 to 12 years old, Palais de Tokyo)
February 15 | Family Cinema: Beurk, a moment dedicated to independent cinema for children, with a 20–30 minute workshop offered before or after the screening. (6 years and older, Jeu de Paume)
February 23 -
February 25 | Paravents de Corée, children create their own Korean screen or their own Carpes Koï. (7 to 12 years old, Musée Guimet)
March 9 -
July 1 | C’est le Bouquet ! children discover the flower compositions in Louvre’s collection and compose their own arrangements. (6 years and older, Louvre)
March 15 | Atelier l’Empreinte de Ma Gravure, the Institut Feibai offers children and their parents an opportunity to create their own, personalized carved seal. (4 years and older, Musée Cernuschi)
March 15 -
May 10 | Atelier Cyanotype, after looking at Martin Parr’s exhibition with artist Gwenael Porte, children imagine a dream destination and make a postcard using the cyanotype. (7 to 11 years old, Jeu de Paume)
March 28 -
June 27 | Une Licorne Peut en Cacher une Autre, after looking at the unicorn exhibition, children use arts and crafts to transform a unicorn into a fantastical animal. (Musée de Cluny)
March 29 | Family Cinema: Le Carnaval de la Petite Taupe, a moment dedicated to independent cinema for children, with a 20–30 minute workshop offered before or after the screening. (2 years and older, Jeu de Paume)
May 24 | Family Cinema: Nina et le Secret du Hérisson, a moment dedicated to independent cinema for children, with a 20–30 minute workshop offered before or after the screening. (6 years and older, Jeu de Paume)
ongoing exhibitions
My Petite Cinémathèque (Cinémathèque Française, through March 8)
Transparency (2 to 10 years old, Grand Palais, through August 2017)
Great kids selection.