Must-see exhibitions in February
Paris once again asserts itself as the world capital of culture with a series of exceptional exhibitions in 2025. From the luxury of haute couture to the poignant works of major artists, not to mention an unprecedented retrospective on disco, here is a selection of the artistic events not to be missed this year.
Louvre Couture: Art and Fashion
📍 Musée du Louvre – Until July 21, 2025
For the first time in 231 years, the Louvre is devoting an exhibition to the world of fashion. ” Louvre Couture”, orchestrated by Olivier Gabet and Nathalie Crinière, highlights the influence of the museum’s collections on haute couture designers. The program features 65 outfits and 30 accessories, including iconic Chanel pieces by Karl Lagerfeld, Yohji Yamamoto, Dolce & Gabbana and a special tribute to Marie-Louise Carven, nicknamed “la couturière des petites dames”.
A unique opportunity to see how the history of art inspires the world of luxury, in a setting as prestigious as the Louvre.
Dennis Morris – Music + Life: the photography of legends
📍 Maison Européenne de la Photographie – February 5 to May 18, 2025
The Maison Européenne de la Photographie is devoting a retrospective to Dennis Morris, the London photographer who immortalized Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Marianne Faithfull, Oasis and the Stone Roses.
It’s not just a tribute to the great names in music, but also an intimate look at Caribbean diaspora culture, sound systems, and the energy of the London countercultures of the 1970s and 1980s. A must for music and photography fans.
Ribera, Darkness and Light: the master of chiaroscuro
📍 Grand Palais – Until February 23, 2025
Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652), a pupil of Caravaggio, is honored in this masterful exhibition, where light and shadow engage in an aesthetic battle. Known for his dark and radical treatment of religious and mythological subjects, Ribera paints human suffering in all its brutality.
Highlights include Le Martyre de saint Barthélemy (1624), featuring an old man being flayed alive, and La Mise au tombeau (1628-1630), a must-see piece in the Louvre. A fascinating and disturbing plunge into the world of Spanish Tenebrism.
Suzanne Valadon: rediscovering a major female artist
📍 Center Pompidou – Until May 26, 2025
After an absence of more than 50 years from major retrospectives, Suzanne Valadon, a key 20th century artist, is back in the spotlight with an exhibition at the Centre Pompidou.
A former model before becoming a painter, Valadon made history with her daring nudes, her unique vision of reality, and her influence on the emancipation of women artists.
Through 200 works, including rarely exhibited paintings and drawings, this retrospective sheds light on a key figure in Parisian Bohemia and artistic Montmartre.
Disco, I’m Coming Out: the golden age of glitter
📍 Philharmonie de Paris – February 14 to August 17, 2025
Having already explored rock and punk through its exhibitions, the Philharmonie de Paris is now tackling the glittering world of disco.
This exhibition traces the meteoric rise of this musical genre, highlighting its origins in the USA, its political influence in the struggles of the 1960s and 1970s, and the icons who shaped it, such as Donna Summer, Chic, Giorgio Moroder and Grace Jones.
But disco was also a social revolution. The Philharmonie will analyze how club culture influenced the liberation of bodies and minds. A rhythmic and colorful exhibition that promises to be as immersive as a night at Studio 54.
Chiharu Shiota – The Soul Trembles: red and black
📍 Grand Palais – Until March 19, 2025
Japanese visual artist Chiharu Shiota, nicknamed “the Spider”, displays her fascinating art in the largest monograph of her career: The Soul Trembles.
Known for her spectacular red and black thread installations, Shiota explores themes of memory, identity and the passage of time through an immersive journey.
With seven monumental installations, videos, photographs and filmed performances, this exhibition promises a visceral, hypnotic experience. This is one of the most talked-about exhibitions of the year.
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