Summary
- Wolfgang Tillmans is set to open Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us at the Centre Pompidou in Paris ahead of its five-year renovation period.
- The exhibition will showcase an array of photography, video, sound, text and performance, pairing some of Tillman’s most famed works with new pieces created for the show’s occasion.
As the Centre Pompidou prepares to close for its five-year hibernation, the museum is handing over the reins to Wolfgang Tillmans for an exciting send-off. For his first major Parisian show in 23 years, the German photographer is opening the vault for an expansive curatorial project, unraveling across 6,000-square-meters of the Public Information Library.
Titled Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us, the exhibition brings together work from Tillman’s 35-year oeuvre in a showcase of photography, video, sound, text and performance. Drawing cues from the surrounding architecture, the artist transforms the library into a stage for dialogue between his work and the concept of knowledge itself.
Shaped by a ‘90s countercultural high, Tillmans’ works have always challenged the limits of visual representation, capturing moments that expose the delicate beauty of the everyday. “What interests me is making images, making art — as a translation of the world I see. I’ve often thought an artwork is just as interesting as the thoughts it provokes,” he noted.
The exhibition invites visitors to trace connections across time: “Lacanau (self)” (1986), his first work, sits beside storied works like “Frank, in the shower” (2015), the cover art for Frank Ocean’s Blonde, with works created for the exhibition peppered in-between. Evident through all is a keen attention to the cultural and political shifts that have defined our era — from the collapse of certainties to emerging visions of community and identity.
Nothing could have prepared us – Everything could have prepared us will be on view in Paris from June 13 through September 22. Presented in partnership with Celine, the Centre Pompidou is offering select days of free admission. Check out the museum’s website to book tickets today.
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