Paris’s Top Exhibitions to Beat the Heat

As summer heats up, Paris offers some much-needed respite within its cool, inspiring galleries. Amid the retrospectives, solo shows and fresh takes on archival treasures, here is a curated selection of eight exhibitions not to be missed this season.

The Paris of Agnès Varda, Here and There – At Musée Carnavalet until August 24

The Paris of Agnès Varda, Here and There traces the filmmaker’s relationship to the city she lived in and drew inspiration from. Through stills, archival material and rarely seen images, the exhibition reframes Paris as an inspiring force in Varda’s practice.

Wes Anderson – At Cinémathèque Française until July 27

The first major exhibition devoted to Wes Anderson’s visionary cinema traces his journey from cult beginnings (Bottle Rocket) to more recent successes (Asteroid City). Revealing the  meticulous craft behind his signature worlds through an in depth exploration of his symmetrical compositions, handcrafted miniatures, props and costumes. The exhibition spotlights Anderson’s obsessive attention to detail and his collaborative creative process. 

Corps et âmes – At Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection until August 25

Corps et âmes (Bodies and Souls) brings together works by over 40 artists, including Arthur Jafa, Niki de Saint Phalle and Georg Baselitz. This multidisciplinary exhibition examines the presence of the body in contemporary art, however the show extends beyond visual works, incorporating music and a resolutely political dimension, notably spotlighting the activism and influence of Black cultural figures. More than a study of form, Corps et âmes investigates how the body registers experiences, memories and resistance.

Artemisia, Heroine of Art – At Musée Jacquemart-André until August 3

Artemisia, Heroine of Art reframes Artemisia Gentileschi as a major figure within Baroque history. Her paintings, conceptualised directly from live models without sketches, drew inspiration from mythological themes, capturing heroines triumphing over male domination – a rarity in the 17th century. ​​This retrospective positions her as an essential chapter in the tomes of art history.

Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hultén – At Grand Palais until January 4

This exhibition traces the creative partnership of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely, artists united by a belief in art as provocation. Their works dismantled aesthetic conventions: with riotous colors, voluptuous forms and kinetic machines. Threading through it all is Pontus Hultén, the first director of the Centre Pompidou’s Musée national d’art moderne and a dedicated supporter of both artists. The exhibition maps this collaboration between the artists and curator as a catalytic moment in postwar art history.

David Hockney, 25 – At Fondation Louis Vuitton until August 31

Bringing together over 400 works spanning from 1955 to the present, this full-building takeover at the Fondation Louis Vuitton marks the most expansive exhibition of David Hockney’s career to date. While the focus falls primarily on the last 25 years, which has been marked by digital experiments, several of his most iconic canvases make rare appearances altogether: A Bigger Splash (1967), Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971) and Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) (1972). Read more about the exhibition and the controversy that preceded the opening here. 

Rick Owens: Temple of Love – At Palais Galliera until January 4, 2026

Temple of Love marks the first Paris exhibition dedicated to Rick Owens. Curated in collaboration with the designer, the show spans from his Los Angeles beginnings to his most recent collections. Extending beyond the gallery, the works move through the garden and out onto the museum façade.

Wolfgang Tillmans – Rien ne nous y préparait – Tout nous y préparait – At Centre Pompidou until September 22

Spanning over 35 years, this retrospective presents Wolfgang Tillmans’s multifaceted photographic practice, from portraiture, still life, architecture, abstraction and documentary. Beyond photography, Tillmans integrates moving images, sound, music and text, creating an immersive, multisensory experience. Read more about the exhibition here.