Fondation Cartier, Paris

Since moving to Paris in 1994, the Fondation Cartier has organised a program of striking exhibitions based on either individual artists or themes, or commissioned work from up-and-coming contemporary artists who work in this spectacular space and create something exceptional. The fondation embraces all creative fields and genres, ranging from design to photography, from painting to video art and from fashion to performance art. It also organises the Soirées Nomades (Nomadic Nights) on a Thursday evening, focusing on the performing arts, exploring links between visual arts and other forms of contemporary artistic expression such as dance, literature, film and music.

The fondation includes work from artists such as painter Yue Minjun, iconic photographer Malick Sidibé and the reclusive, yet brilliant, sculptor Ron Mueck. In 2000, William Eggleston photographed the deserts of Utah, Arizona and California for the Fondation’s thematic exhibition entitled The Desert. In 2004, Raymond Depardon traveled around the world and, at the request of the Fondation Cartier, made a series of 10 films, each devoted to a different city. Even internationally renowned painter Takeshi Kitano has shown work, given entirely free rein to construct whatever exhibition he wanted. In response he created a site-specific show that was half-art installation, half-children’s playground. “With this exhibition I was attempting to expand the definition of ‘art’, to make it less conventional, less snobby, more casual and accessible to everyone,” he says; a core principal that the Fondation Cartier continues to epitomize in all its future exhibitions.

Fondation Cartier

261 Boulevard Raspail, 75013 Paris