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Paris: Fall 2015 Art Exhibitions

Autumn is an exciting time in Paris thanks to a flurry of fall exhibitions and the stylish travelers they attract from around the world. This season, the French capital welcomes shows starring big-ticket artists like Andy Warhol and Marc Chagall as well as more avant-garde exhibitions addressing such topics as the depiction of pornography in art and the role women have played in the growth of photography.

Musée de l’Orangerie

  • Who’s Afraid of Women Photographers? 1839-1919; Oct. 14 - Jan. 25

This somewhat unfortunately named exhibition is actually an ambitious undertaking designed to showcase the incredible talent and tenacity of women photographers at the dawn of the medium. Based on new research and featuring rarely-shown and never-seen-before photographs, this exhibition focuses on the 19th- and early 20th centuries, tracing the pioneering work of women photographers—mostly in France, the UK and Germany—who helped innovative and shape a new art movement. musee-orangerie.fr

Musée d’Orsay

  • Splendour and Misery. Pictures of Prostitution in France (1850-1910); Sept. 2 - Jan. 17
  • Who’s Afraid of Women Photographers? 1918-1945; Oct. 13 - Jan. 24

In addition to hosting the second part of Whose Afraid of Women Photographers? (which starts at the Musée de l’Orangerie), the Musée d’Orsay is also showing Splendour and Misery, which features works from Manet, Degas, Picasso and more in the first major show about the portrayal of prostitution in art. musee-orsay.fr

Musée d’Art Moderne

  • Warhol, Unlimited; Oct. 2 - Feb 7

This ode to all things Andy Warhol displays over 200 pieces that discuss the often-provocative nature of his work and demonstrate the breadth of his artistry. mam.paris.fr

Grand Palais

  • Fragonard in Love; Sept. 16 - Jan. 24
  • Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun; Sept. 23 - Jan. 11
  • Picasso.mania; Oct. 7 - Feb. 29

The Grand Palais has three major exhibits coming up this fall. Fragonard in Love, at the Luxembourg Museum, focuses on the mid 18th–century love allegorical works of Jean-Honoré Fragonard. The subsequent two exhibitions take place at the National Galleries. The first retrospective is dedicated to the artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun and the works she created over the course of her life, during which she was witness to some of the most eventful periods in French history. Picasso.mania focuses on the Cubist painter’s impact on contemporary art by juxtaposing his works alongside those of modern artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. grandpalais.fr/en

Philharmonie De Paris

  • Marc Chagall, The Triumph of Music; Oct. 13 - Jan. 31

Since his childhood in a Jewish community in Belarus, music played a large role in Marc Chagall’s life. The artist, who is primarily known for paintings on canvas and stained glass, also worked for the theater, and often designed stage sets and costumes. This exhibition features 250 pieces—shown in reverse chronological order—that span Chagall’s life, and display the continual influence of music in his work. philharmoniedeparis.fr/en

Centre Pompidou

  • Wifredo Lam; Sept. 30 - Feb. 15
  • Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster; Sept. 23 - Feb.1
  • Julien Prévieux; Sept. 23 - Feb. 1

The Pompidou’s Wifredo Lam exhibit will be the first retrospective of the artist at the gallery, and show 300 works that include his traditional works as well as archives and witness photographs of Lam and his pieces from Cuba, Spain and France. Additionally, the museum will host an exhibit on French contemporary artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, which will display about 40 works in a variety of mediums (film, photography, installations). Lastly, the Pompidou will host a show for Julien Prévieux that combines sculptures, film and drawings to question the worlds of work, economy and politics. centrepompidou.fr/en

Palais de Tokyo

  • Ugo Rondinone, I Love John Giorno; Oct. 21 - Jan. 10

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone will curate the first retrospective of the life and work of American poet John Giorno. The exhibition reveals the influence of Giorno’s works on many generations of artists through poetry, visual arts, music and performance. palaisdetokyo.com/en

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