The September exhibits that radiate beauty in every direction

SEA, POP & SUN (Porquerolles Islands)

From Andy Warhol’s “Sunset” series to Roy Lichtenstein’s “Seascape”series, the focus in this exhibition is entirely on energy, radiance, and optimism. Set against the exceptional seaside backdrop of the Fondation Carmignac, Sea, Pop & Sun celebrates the spirit of freedom that defined the 1960s and ’70s, a portrait of a world without taboos or constraints. A lost paradise? Eighty works create a dialogue between Pop Art masters and contemporary artists such as Judy Chicago, Derrick Adams, and Theo Mercier. Cosima von Bonin’s colorful sculptures line the path to the villa, and songs from the era play in the exhibition spaces, in harmony with the artwork (such as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which plays in a room where balloons fill the ceiling). Sea, Pop & Sun is a joyful experience that celebrates a chromatic utopia, capturing both the radiant landscapes of California and the iconic imagery of consumer culture.

Sea, Pop & Sun / Fondation Carmignac, Porquerolles, France / until November 1, 2026 / fondationcarmignac.com

AZZEDINE ALAÏA AND AFRICA (Paris)

The Azzedine Alaïa Foundation invites the public to a remarkable new event. Azzedine Alaïa and Africa offers a true visual and deeply personal journey, celebrating the roots of the couturier born in Tunis, Tunisia. As exhibition curator Olivier Saillard explains, Azzedine Alaïa was “committed throughout his career to incorporating the inspirations of a country, of a continent, that he had leg at an early age but that continued to hold a profound fascination for him.” The emotion is palpable, whether in the kohl-black sheath dresses, leopard prints, safari jackets, or even the striped poplin dresses from Alaïa’s 1992 spring/summer collection. Each of the fifty-five designs evokes a sense of passion and allure within a seeing designed by Kris Ruhs, featuring panels painted with stenciled leaf motifs in a shades of ocher, sand, and earth tones. “With a sense of nostalgia, the mashrabiya screens reappear in his memory, just as they did when he was a child in Tunis,” adds Saillard. “These skillfully crafted partitions, which sculpt the light and the gaze, find a form of rebirth in Azzedine Alaïa’s creations.”

Azzedine Alaïa and Africa / Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, Paris, France /until January 4, 2027 / fondationazzedinealaia.org

LORNA SIMPSON. THIRD PERSON (Venice)

This is the most significant exhibition in Europe dedicated to the American artist in the last decade. Organized in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum in New York, this retrospective in Venice highlights the aesthetic explorations of an artist who delves deep within herself—much like digging into the earth—to create a singular world. Spanning dreamlike landscapes and collages, collective memory and atmospheric studies—incorporating water, fire, ice, and meteorites—this exhibition leads us to the threshold of reality and metamorphosis. Exhilarating.

Lorna Simpson. Third Person / Pinault Collection, Punta della Dogana, Venice, Italy / through November 22, 2026 / pinaultcollection.com