The best art exhibitions in Paris this Fall

Splendour and Misery. Pictures of Prostitution, 1850-1910 // MUSÉE D'ORSAY

Prostitution in art, picante! Musée d’Orsay, the house of the impressionists an expressionists, presents how prostitution has been displayed in paintings. With paintings by big names such as Monet, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Munch, and Picasso. Sometimes classy, other times a bit nasty, just like Paris and that’s how we love it best. A good reason to (re-)visit the beautiful museum on the bank of the Seine river, once a train station and now one of Paris’ finest art houses. // SEP 23 THROUGH JAN 11 2016

Picasso.Mania // GRAND PALAIS

Cubism, the great invention of Picasso. Even if we wouldn’t know a thing or two about the master, we could still imagine how fresh his work was. Usually that’s what exhibitions with Picasso’s work try to proof and explain. Now you have a chance to check out for yourself how modern you think Picasso still is. Grand Palais wanted to do it differently: it combines work by Picasso with contemporary art by Jeff Koons (the pink “blowup” dogs), Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein (pop art), among many others. Mix ‘n match, how do the crazy contemporary works make Picasso look now?
// OCT 7 THROUGH FEB 26 2016

FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON

Yes, Fondation Louis Vuitton looks like the photo shown here! It is a fata morgana right next to the Bois de Boulogne ( great nature park just out of the centerof Paris). The building was designed by American top architect Frank Gehry and only the structure itself is worth a visit. The Fondation has modern and contemporary art starting at the expressionists early in the 20th century. They change they layout frequently to show off the gigantic collection. Could be seen as an exhibition, we think. Definitely a top 3 visit destination in Paris in the area of art. Even if you hate contemporary art, do it for the state of the art building.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun // GRAND PALAIS

More news in Grand Palais, because the giant glass building always has several exhibitions at the same time. In a corner of the Grand Palais you find the portraits of Le Brun. Not júst portraits! First of all, Le Brun was a lady and female painters were scarce in the 18th – 19th century. What’s more, she eventually got to paint the legendary queen Marie-Antoinette. This is the perfect exhibition for tired feet (because: slightly smaller than other exhibitions) and for those who love Baroque / Romantic art.

Warhol unlimited // MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE

And there is more modern art in Paris this fall. Musée d’art moderne de la ville Paris (we think the museum with the longest name) is showing Andy Warhol and his pop art series. Is it art, or is it not? In any case these colorful works will lighten up your rainy fall day. // OCT 2 THROUGH FEB 7 2016

Suzanne Valadon, Maurice Utrillo, André Utter : 12, rue Cortot // MUSÉE MONTMARTRE

The most charming museum of Paris is Musée Montmartre at the Rue Cortot. The building is the oldest in Montmarte and was once the studio where artists Auguste Renoir, Émile Bernard, and Raoul Dufy lived and painted. One of those painters was Suzanne Valadon and that is whom the museum lights out in this exhibition. I once came across her work in the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris (at the edge of the Tuleries gardens). I still remember her own twist of art. It looks very feminine, a total novelty at the end of the 19th century, when women were not typically known to be avantgarde painters. The exhibition combines work by her son, Maurice Utrillo. His paintings show the old Montmartre and they seem to suck you in like they are real before your eyes. Very different from his mothers. Anyway, here’s a second toast to female artists this fall!