There are various reasons to travel. But are you traveling for art or fashion exhibitions? If not you should definitely start! Exhibitions in big museums can be so inspiring, believe me! I am a true admirer of Victoria & Albert Museum in London as well as the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris because I like to know what culture has to say about fashion. The same is with art! Pioneers in the field of modern art are Centre Pompidou in Paris or Tate Modern in London that has outstanding retrospectives of well known artists.
When I plan my year travels I ALWAYS include exhibitions that are worth seeing. Last year I’ve visited „Balenciaga. Shaping fashion” in V&A Museum in London and this year I don’t want to miss „Margiela. 1989-2009” in Palais Galleria in Paris. Since my last post about exhibitions – 17 exhibitions to see in 2017 – has such a great response I decided to do a remake. Here are my cultural propositions for you 🙂
Margiela. 1989-2009 in Palais Galliera
In 2017 Balenciaga and Dior were the most important fashion designers thanks to the big retrospectives they’ve had. In 2018 all we talk about is a exhibition of Martin Margiela. This belgian designer is known for two things. Firstly, for deconstructing garments and showing new approach towards fashion – imperfect and raw – and secondly for being completely out of a public eye – he is actually known for being unknown. Margiela never showed his face (although there is one random photograph that are showing us how he looks), never had an interview, never bow down at the end of the show. He doesn’t have to, because his fashion has spoke for itself.
In Paris you’ll find two exhibitions devoted to the artist, first in Palais Galliera (Margiela/Galliera, 1989-2009), and second in Musée des Arts décoratifs which is devoted to the period when he was also a creative director at Hermes.
Why is it worth seeing them? Because paradoxically he curated them by himself. We may not know him, but he made sure to make the most intimate exhibitions for us. It’s definitely worth seeing his vision.
From 3 March to 15 July 2018, Palais Galliera, Paris
Margiela, les années Hermès in Musée des Arts décoratifs
Second exhibition devoted to Margiela is focusing on years 1997-2003, when he was creative director of one of the most luxurious French fashion houses – Hermès. When Margiela was working for Hermès he was still creating his characteristic deconstructed pieces but whith more commercial attitude. This exhibition was originally shown last year in MOMU museum in Antwerp.
From 22 March to 2 September 2018, Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris
Picasso 1932: Love, Fame, Tragedy in Tate Modern
When you think that all that could be seen or told about Picasso has been already done, you are wrong. The most important artist in the history can still surprise you. This year I found two interesting ones that show the master of cubism in various ways. First is in London’s Tate Modern, and shows only works that Picasso painted in 1932, that is sometimes called his „gold period”.
Among presented works you’ll see famous „Le Rêve”, „Nude, Green, Leaves and Bust” and „Nude Woman in Red Armchair”, that has been painted during 5 days of 1932 r. Each of them is showing Picasso lover Marie-Thérèse Walter. If you look closer you’ll see that they all has similar colour pallete and more fluid shapes, not geometric and sharp ones like in the first cubist period.
From 8 March to 9 September 2018, Tate Modern, London
Picasso. Blue and Pink in Musee D’Orsay
Second Picasso exhibition is held at Musee D’Orsay in Paris that on the contrary is focusing on painters young age. Before Picasso invented Cubism he was having a so called Blue and Pink periods, during which he created a very figural and melancholic art. This episode are years 1900-1906, when he was interested in postimpressionist movements. Musee D’Orsay wants to show Picasso paintings in a relation to famous postimpresionist works of art like Gauguin and Touluse Lautrec to try to find new ways of interpretation.
From 18 September 2018 to 6 January 2019, Musee D’Orsay, Paris
Jewelry by artists from Picasso to Jeff Koons in Musée des Arts décoratifs
I love not so obvious exhibitions and this one is for me really interesting. Did you know that Picasso, Alexander Calder and Jeff Koons have been creating a jewellery? I didn’t altough I see lots and lots of jewellery designers that are inspired nowdays by Calders sculptures or Picasso paintings – remember famous Celine earrings that everyone wanted to have last summer? At exhibition in Musée des Arts décoratifs you’ll see their jewelry designs which are a part of jewelry collection of Diane Venet. The collector has managed to collect 230 pieces! This is definitely much more than an exhibition of just a jewelry because some pieces look like a little works of art itself.
From 7 March to 8 July 2018, Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris
Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination w MET
If someone would ask what is the most important fashion red carpet event, the answer would definitely be MET Gala. It is actually the most glamorous vernissage of a fashion exhibition that is every year held at Metropolitan Museum of Art. This exhibitions shows the most important drifts, periods, or designers and is deeply rooted in modern culture. Last year museum showed first ever retrospective of one designer – Rei Kawakubo, and the year before an exhibition devoted to new technologies in fashion (Manus x Machina). What we’ll see in April?
„Heavenly Bodies” is an exhibition that is showing fashion in catholic church. If you can’t believe you’ll be surprised how astonishing and rich are vestments of clergy.
From 21 April 2018 do 27 January 2019, MET, New York
Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier in Design Museum
The death of Azzedine Alaïa’i was one of the saddest things in 2017. The designer was the king of haute couture fashion that has always done thing his way. The exhibition that will be held in Design Museum in London was a retrospective that Alaia worked on for the past year. At the exhibition you’ll see almost 60 dresses that will be arranged in architectural array just to see the complex shapes and forms of garments.
From 10 May to 7 October 2018, Design Museum, London
Hope to Nope: Graphics and Politics 2008-2018 in Design Museum
I found another interesting exhibition in Design Museum in London. On Hope to Nope exhibition you’ll see political graphics, posters, slogans from years 2008-2009. Among them famous „We the people” poster with an Arabian women covered in USA flag, „Je suis Charlie” banner or other popular slogans concerning women rights, that are well known in our visual culture.
In the opinion of curators of this exhibition our decade is known for engagement of society towards political events. During the last couple of years we have shown the governs that we want to have a real influence in our life that’s why we are not afraid to protest. The protest are a sign of our times. The exhibitions shows the popular banners, posters and slogans from 2008, the great economical crisis, trough immigrant crisis or Brexit.
From 28 March to 12 August 2018, Design Museum, London
Pink: The History of a Punk, Pretty, Powerful Color in FIT
It’s true that pink is the most girly, sweet and innocent color. But for a few years now pink has also become the most selling and influencing color. For example what interior would you rather go: a pink coffee spot or a brown one? Recent statistics show us that pink is not a color for Barbies and baby’s anymore. The exhibition at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York is here to show us various connotations of pink and how has it change during a history.
From 7 September to 5 January 2019, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
Fashioned From Nature in V&A Museum
Are you also more and more aware of the clothes that you buy? Do you read tags and want to know where the garment was made, and what it was made from? I find that quality has become a great value after the decade of fast fashion. Sustainability is not a tabu anymore when it comes to big high street store brand that wants to change an approach that caused so many ecological catastrophes, not to mention a human rights.
Fashioned from Nature is an exhibition that show relation between fashion and nature. The exhibition is here to show on the one hand how fashion woudn’t exist without nature as well as how it deeply degenerated our environement.
From 21 April 2018 do 27 January 2019, V&A Museum, London
Frida Kahlo. Making Her Self Up in V&A Museum
We all know her from colorful, symbolist paintings but did you know that her wardrobe has been as dynamic and extravagant as her art? Now you know why Frida Kahlo costume is so common during costume parties! Dresses and accessories of the painter will be shown first time outside Mexico in Victoria & Albert Museum, so make sure to come!
From 16 June do 4 November 2018, V&A Museum, London
Being Modern in Louis Vuitton Foundation
Normally, I don’t like when museums are closing for renovation, but this time was different. The biggest modern art museum -Museum of Modern Art in New York due to a renovation lend the art works to the parisian based Louis Vuitton Fondation, that is now in possetions of masterpieces of Warhol’s, Pollock’s as well as works of Edward Hopper, Diane Arbus, Sol LeWitt or Carl Andre. That opportunity comes only once in a lifetime 🙂
Untill 5 March, Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris
Jean Michel Baquiat i Egon Schiele in Louis Vuitton Fondation
Louis Vuitton Fondation has also a stunning exhibition for those of you who are planning a Paris city break in second half of the year. Then you’ll see a interesting exhibition that will show works of art of Jean Michel Basquiat and Egon Schiele. Those two completely different artists, are not so different as curators says, that’s why they want to show new ways of interpretation of their art – you need to see for yourself if it’s true 🙂
3 October 2018 do 14 January 2019, Louis Vuitton Fondation, Paris
Modern couples: Art intimacy and the avant garde in Barbican Art Gallery
When you think about most powerful couples in the history of XX th century art, who would it be? In Barbican Art Gallery in London curators decided to look closer to life of Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar, Jean Arp and Sophie Teauber-Arp, Max Ernst and Dorothea Tannig and how their art has changed when they’ve been together. If you are looking for curious extraordinary exhibition this could be the one!
From 10 October 2018 to 27 January 2019, Barbican Art Gallery, London
Christo & Jeanne Claude in Serpentine Gallery
First time since 1979 two of the most important artists of environmental art will have an exhibition in Serpentine Gallery in London. Christo & Jeanne Claude are well known from unusual actions like covering up Berlin’s Reichtag or Pont Neuf in Paris. Serpentine Gallery will look closer at their heritage and show 50 of their works trough photography and sketches.
From 20 June to 9 September 2018, Serpentine Gallery, London
1948: The Biennale of Peggy Guggenheim in Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim Gallery in Venice is one of the most inspiring museums I have ever been. Located near a beautiful canal in historic Palazzo Vernieri dei Leoni is a quiet and relaxing space, where exhibition is arranged in the house where this great art collector lived when she left USA.
Peggy Guggenheim is well known for having a great collection of XX th century european and american art, she was the one who discovered Jackson Pollock for example so his works are also in the gallery! 70 years ago she took part in first Venice Biennale that’s why museum decided to celebrate this anniversary and show a great amount of cubist, surrealist and abstract expressionist paintings.
From 25 May to 25 November 2018, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice
All too human: Bacon, Freud and a century of painting life in Tate Britain
It’s interesting how in years an image of human body has been changing. From sketches, through ideal renaissance and baroque paintings until realism, which Gustave Courbet has started. In XX century one of the most important artists who contributed to showing another vision of human body were definitely Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon. At the exposition in Tate Britain in London you’ll see how human silhouette has change in art in last 100 years, amongst represented works is also one of my favorite modern artists Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.
From 28 February to 27 August 2018, Tate Britain, London
Gianni Versace. Retrospective in Kronprinzenpalais
Exactly 20 years ago we said goodbye to one of the greatest fashion designers – Gianni Versace. Because of this anniversary Donatella commemorated his brother with one of the most spectacular fashion shows including 90’s superstars like Cindy Crawford and Carla Bruni. Not to mention the tv series about assassination of Gianni with a leading role of Penelope Cruz as a Donatella.
In Kronprinzenpalais in Berlin you’ll find an exhibition about Gianni Versace fashion, not a lot of you may know that he has his first exhibition right in Berlin in 1994. At the location you won’t see only clothes but also home interior which the brand was and is still well known for. The curators decided to recreate masters bedroom with all its belongings and famous Versace logo.
From 30 January do 13 April 2018, Kronprinzenpalais, Berlin
Until next time,
A.