Top Summer Paris Shows at Thaddaeus Ropac, Max Hetzler, and More 

It’s an especially busy summer in Paris. Here are some of the top summer Paris shows on view this July at spaces including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Thaddaeus Ropac, Galerie Mennour, and Max Hetzler.

“Art of the Olympics”

Gagosian Paris

June 6–September 7, 2024
9 Rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris, France & 4 Rue de Ponthieu, 75008 Paris, France

In collaboration with the Olympic Museum, Gagosian presents “Art of the Olympics,” a two-part exhibition at the gallery’s rue de Castiglione and rue de Ponthieu locations. The group show pays tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic games, fusing the lines between artistic creation and sport.

At Gagosian’s rue de Castiglione space, the gallery presents iconic works in a variety of mediums that speak to the various facets of sport’s impact and history. Featured artists include Andreas Gursky, Man Ray, Duane Hanson, Jonas Wood, Christo, Keith Haring, Takashi Murakami, Marc Newson, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, and more. A 20 minute walk away at rue de Ponthieu, the exhibition continues with archival Olympic posters commissioned from leading artists to commemorate the Games’ previous years. With this exhibition, Gagosian pays tribute to the world of sport and the art that helps it thrive.

What we love: Duane Hanson’s sculpture Bodybuilder depicts a gym-goer seated directly in front of Gagosian’s front windows. The polychrome bronze sculpture is a vivid depiction of an athlete in a moment of deep self-reflection, for all passers-by on rue de Castiglione to see.

Nicole Eisenman

Hauser & Wirth

5 June–21 September 2024
26 bis rue François 1er 75008 Paris

As Nicole Eisenman’s first exhibition at Hauser & Wirth Paris, “with, and, of, on Sculpture” tracks the artist’s path to sculptural work. For Eisenman, painting and sculpture are inextricably intertwined, as emphasized by the exhibition. Her paintings and sculptures engage in diverse interactions, ranging from direct correlations between sculptural and painted works to mutual inspirations that inform each other’s development.

Featured in the show are the two figures from Eisenman’s iconic “Procession” installation, a sculptural project that first premiered at the 2019 Whitney Biennial. One floor above, the gallery displays a large-scale preparatory drawing for the landmark 2019 installation. Throughout the exhibition, visitors can bear witness to Eisenman’s talent in both painting and sculpture work, as well as how these two talents inform one another. 

What we love: Several pieces in “with, and of, on Sculpture” are multi-layered paintings that depict sculptures within them. Archangel (The Visitors) displays an opening for an imaginary sculpture exhibition, in which Eisenman paints several unique sculptures as well as those by other artists.

Alex Katz

Thaddaeus Ropac

25 May—23 July 2024
69 avenue du Général Leclerc, Pantin, France

At Thaddaeus Ropac’s converted factory building space, the gallery presents their first retrospective of Alex Katz’s past 60 years of printmaking. Known for his unique contemporary eye that first appeared in galleries in 1954, Katz lets his measured and reflective process shine through in his prints. The show includes various prints that span over the past six decades, from vibrant portraits to moving landscapes and seascapes.

“60 Years of Printmaking” pays a special homage to Katz’s thriving eye for innovation and continuous growth. The show features some of Katz’s first prints, including the 1965 piece Luna Park 1 and his other notable productions stemming from the Pop Art movement. With each print, the exhibition emphasizes Katz’s dedication and innovative talents that persist today.

What we love: This retrospective is testament to Katz’s contributions to contemporary art, as “60 Years of Printmaking” is one of hundreds of the artists’ exhibitions over the past 70 years.

Ryan Gander

Galerie Kamel Mennour 

June 6–July 26, 2024
47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris

British artist Ryan Gander is welcomed to Galerie Kamel Mennour with “Three Young American Artists?.” The show displays Gander’s pieces in three separate rooms, presenting his works under the guise of different artists in 1981, 1513, and 2026. Each room echoes one another, featuring a specific date displayed in a unique font, three pieces from a shared series, and a disruptive element that serves as a contrasting time-related marker. 

Three paintings marked with “Basel,” “Sunset,” and “Nice” draw from the artist’s personal childhood memories and reference places that he has lived throughout his life. In the center of the final room, a large digital clock sculpture displays layers of the number eight, harkening the image of a broken clock and providing a sense of warped chronology. With his exhibition, Gander toys with the solidity of time, distorting our perceptions of the recent past, remote past, and the future. 

What we love: This is Gander’s first solo exhibition at Galerie Mennour, which celebrates the artist as a notable creative in the international art scene.

Matthew Barney 

Galerie Max Hetzler

7 June–25 July 2024
46 & 57 rue du Temple, 75004

In collaboration with Gladstone Gallery, Sadie Coles HQ, and Regen Projects, Max Hetlzer presents “SECONDARY: Object Impact” by American artist Matthew Barney. Across the four installations, viewers are welcomed to delve into Barney’s exploration of the body, physical capabilities, and the profound impact of historical violence on the American consciousness. 

Each show feeds back to Barney’s 2023 film Secondary, which tracks the cultural focus on the live paralyzation of the New England Patriots’ Darryl Stingley during a 1978 game against the Raiders. At his Max Hetlzer exhibition, Barney focuses on the notion of both physical and theoretical impact. With impact BOLUS and Patriot, Barney captures the complexity of the incident, reflecting on themes of aggression and vulnerability.

What we love: Spread between multiple galleries, the “SECONDARY” series is formed by a confluence of exhibitions that work as stand alone shows yet overall fuse together to generate a harmonious conversation.