THE GUIDE- MUST SEE EXHIBITIONS IN PARIS THIS AUGUST
Paris may be quieter in August, but the exhibition calendar certainly isn’t. From kinetic sculpture and fashion archives to immersive fog and photography that feels like a half-remembered dream, these are The Magnificent picks worth making time for this month.
CALDER. RÊVER EN ÉQUILIBRE
Fondation Louis Vuitton
Alexander Calder needs little introduction, but Calder. Rêver en équilibre is a rather good reason to revisit what you think you know about him. Celebrating the centenary of Calder’s arrival in France and 50 years since his death, the exhibition brings together almost 300 works spanning five decades of his career, from his early Cirque Calder and wire sculptures to the mobiles and monumental stabiles that transformed modern sculpture. Set against Frank Gehry’s equally spectacular Fondation Louis Vuitton, the work becomes almost choreographic as it moves through the architecture. Why go: seeing Calder’s mobiles move in real space is infinitely better than seeing them on your screen. Where: Fondation Louis Vuitton, 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, 75016 Paris. Until: 16 August 2026.
FUJIKO NAKAYA
Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
Fog as art? Absolutely. Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya has transformed the Rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce with Cloud #07156, one of her signature fog sculptures, filling the monumental space with constantly shifting water vapour that appears, disappears and reforms around you. It is atmospheric, immersive and almost impossible to capture properly on camera — which is precisely why you should experience it rather than simply scroll past it. The sculpture changes depending on where you stand and how the fog moves through the architecture, making every visit slightly different. Why go: because watching a historic Parisian rotunda disappear into a cloud is quite the experience. Where: Bourse de Commerce, 2 Rue de Viarmes, 75001 Paris. Until: 14 September 2026.
AZZEDINE ALAÏA AND AFRICA
Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
Fashion people, this one’s for you. Azzedine Alaïa and Africa, curated by Olivier Saillard, explores the relationship between the legendary couturier and the African continent, bringing together Alaïa’s designs with photographs by Peter Beard to explore the visual references and influences that found their way into his work. The exhibition is also an excuse to discover the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa itself — an intimate space in the Marais housed in the designer’s former home and workshop, where fashion feels less like an exhibition and more like you’re being let in on something. Why go: for the clothes, obviously, but also to understand the references and visual language behind them. Where: Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, 18 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris. Until: 1 April 2027.
CLAIR-OBSCUR
Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
While you’re at the Bourse de Commerce, don’t make the mistake of leaving after the fog. Clair-obscur explores the relationship between light and shadow through around 100 works from the Pinault Collection, bringing together modern and contemporary artists in an exhibition that plays with perception, darkness and what we can — and can’t — see. Rather than feeling like a traditional chronological exhibition, it is more of a mood: atmospheric, slightly mysterious and visually compelling. Why go: it’s thoughtful without feeling overly academic and, conveniently, can be experienced alongside Fujiko Nakaya in the same visit. Where: Bourse de Commerce, 2 Rue de Viarmes, 75001 Paris. Until: 24 August 2026.
DAYDREAMING OF HIM
Christopher Barraja at Saint Laurent Babylone
For something a little more intimate, head to Saint Laurent Babylone for Daydreaming of Him, a photography exhibition by French-Australian photographer Christopher Barraja, curated by Anthony Vaccarello. Barraja’s work sits somewhere between photography, memory and desire, with images exploring sensuality, fragmented bodies, landscapes and the hazy quality of memories that are difficult to hold onto. The result feels less like straightforward documentation and more like glimpses into an imagined or half-remembered world — a fitting addition to Saint Laurent’s ongoing dialogue between fashion, photography and contemporary culture. Why go: it’s intimate, sensual and distinctly contemporary, offering a welcome change of pace from the blockbuster museum experience. Where: Saint Laurent Babylone, 9 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris. Until: 13 September 2026.
THE MAGNIFICENT SHORTLIST
For the full sensory experience: Fujiko Nakaya
For art history: Calder. Rêver en équilibre
For fashion: Azzedine Alaïa and Africa
For photography: Christopher Barraja — Daydreaming of Him
For something atmospheric: Clair-obscur
TIP: Fujiko Nakaya + Clair-obscur can be done in the same visit at the Bourse de Commerce.