Paris is buzzing with the arguably the best collection of museum shows in the world right now. Ranging from vast, historical deep dives to cutting-edge new work, the City of Lights is flexing its muscles as the globe’s capital of art and culture.
If You Want to Be Transported
Anri Sala: Time No Longer at the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection
Proving that video art can be mesmerizing and—dare we go so far?—actually enjoyable, Sala has installed a giant curved screen in the atrium of the Bourse, along with sophisticated speakers that turn the entire building into a lovely aural and visual bath. The video experience is augmented with additional works by Sala in the basement and ground floor galleries. Through Jan. 16, 2023
If You Want a Shock
Shocking! The Surreal Worlds of Elsa Schiaparelli at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs
One of the most innovative fashion designers in history, Schiaparelli has been given the retrospective treatment with a whopping 577 works, including 212 silhouettes and accessories she designed herself, on view at once. Visitors will get to see clothing that could be confused with surrealist artworks—or perhaps it’s the other way around. Through Jan. 22, 2023
If You’re Feeling (a Little) Anguished
Edvard Munch: A Poem of Life, Love and Death at the Musee d’Orsay
If you think you know Munch based on his iconic work The Scream, think again. There’s more anguish and despair where that came from—a lot more, as this 100 artwork show demonstrates again and again. There’s more to Munch, too: Exquisite winter tableaus and (almost?) upbeat beach scenes round out more than 60 years of febrile creativity. Through Jan. 22, 2023
If You Need Some Vitamin D
Facing the Sun at the Musee Marmottan Monet
Using the 150th anniversary of Claude Monet’s famous 1872 painting Impression, Sunrise as a starting point, almost 100 artworks trace a history of artistic representation of the sun. A broad swath of artistic styles and period are included, ranging from work by Albrecht Dürer to art from Gustave Courbet and Joan Miró. Through Jan. 29, 2023
If You Want to Go Beyond the Headlines
Afghanistan: Shadows and Legends at the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques—Guimet
As part of the museum’s “Afghan Season,” which is pegged to the centenary of the French Archeological Delegation in Afghanistan, the museum has devoted a sweeping exhibition on the country’s archeological and cultural heritage. The exhibition combines film, archival photography and antiquities. Through Feb. 6, 2023
If You Think You’ve Seen It All
Oskar Kokoschka: Enfant Terrible in Vienna at the Musee d’art Moderne de Paris
Over the course of 70 years, Kokoschka’s artmaking spanned from fin de siècle Vienna to Switzerland in the Cold War. This colossal show contains 150 of the artist’s best works drawn from lenders around the globe, charting his path from society portraitist to anti-Fascist activist to elder statesman of the European avant garde. Through Feb. 12, 2023
If You Think Two Is Better Than One
Claude Monet—Joan Mitchell, Dialogue at the Fondation Louis Vuitton
By far the most talked-about show of the season, this exhibition combines the work of two artists who drew on the same subject matter, specifically the landscape of Vétheuil, where Monet lived from 1878 to 1881, and where Mitchell began living in 1968. With about 60 works by both artists, the show is not to be missed. Through Feb. 27, 2023
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.
