The city of love, good food, and cool café culture, Paris oozes inspiration at every turn. Romantically set on the banks of the River Seine and playing host to the iconic Eiffel Tower, Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral and Arch de Triomphe, the French capital is an ideal weekend destination for soaking up some art and design.
To help you on your way, here we share five of the best exhibitions to visit for creative inspiration this October.
1. Christian Dior, Couturier du rêve
Patrick Demarchelier, Natalia Vodianova poses with Dior’s craftspeople in front of 30 Avenue Montaigne in a dress from the Fall-Winter 2008 Haute Couture collection, Vogue US, october 2008 © Patrick Demarchelier / Conde Nast / Viva Model Management
Celebrating 70 years of the Christian Dior House, The Museum of Decorative Arts plays host to a rich exhibition, which invites visitors to experience the world of its founder and renowned designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and, most recently, Maria Grazia Chiuri. With an extensive selection of haute couture dresses designed from 1947 to the present day on display, it's a fashionista's dream.
Running until 7 January 2018 | Find out more
2. David Hockney
Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972 Acrylic on canvas 213,5 x 305 cm © David Hockney. Photo: Art Gallery of New South Wales / Jenni Carter Lewis Collection
Following the success of David Hockney's retrospective exhibition at London's TATE Britain, the 80th birthday celebrations have been continued overseas at Paris's Pompidou Centre. Documenting the evolution of Hockney's artistic style, from his early works through to his digital landscapes, the exhibition is a must-visit for anyone of a creative pursuasion.
Running until 23 October 2017 | Find out more
3. Irving Penn
Poster of the exhibition © Rmn-Grand Palais, Paris 2017
Widely regarded as one of the greatest photographers of our time, Irving Penn's work is being showcased at Paris's Grand Palais. In partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the gallery pays tribute to the hugely talented artist, famous for his photographs of major personalities including Pablo Picasso, Yves Saint Laurent, Audrey Hepburn, and Alfred Hitchcock.
Running until 29 January 2018 | Find out more
4. Medusa: Jewellery and Taboos
Reproduction of a work of Salvador Dalí by Henryk Kaston, Broche Ruby Lips, 1970-80 gold brooch, rubys, pearls. Culture of Miami Private Collection © Photo: Robin Hill
Bringing together over 400 pieces of jewellery, Medusa "questions the traditional art boundaries by reconsidering, with the complicity of artists, the questions of craftsmanship, decoration, fashion and pop culture". Organised around four themes: Identity, Value, Body and Instruments, a specific display has been curated for each. Both fascinating and beautiful, this should definitely be on your radar.
Running until 5 November 2017 | Find out more
5. Monet the Collector
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mrs Monet and her son Jean in the garden in Argenteuil, July, 1874. Oil on canvas. Ailsa Mellon Bruce, 1970 © Courtesy Washington, National Gallery of Art © Washington National Gallery of Art
Claude Monet's work truly has to be seen to be believed. The level of detail imparted by the Impressionist painter can't entirely be captured on camera. However, in its latest exhibition, The Marmottan Monet museum turns the spotlight on the artist himself, as a collector of fine art, from the likes of Manet, Renoir, Cezanne, Morisot, Pissarro, Rodin and Signac.
Running until 14 January 2018 | Find out more
Main image courtesy of Adobe Stock
