Exposition "Le temps Courrèges" de Peter Knapp

EXHIBITION BY PETER KNAPP FROM 14 MAY TO 8 NOVEMBER 2026 AT THE MAEGHT FOUNDATION From May to November, 2026, the Fondation Maeght presents its first thematic exhibition blending art and fashion, featuring a special exhibition curated by photographer Peter Knapp. A close friend of André Courrèges and the Maeght family, he lived through those years of modernity, capturing them in his studio, on the street, and even at the Fondation Maeght. In 1965, André Courrèges presented his spring-summer haute couture collection. He developed a new vision of fashion, deliberately setting aside conventions to focus solely on the silhouette and architecture: miniskirts, white, structured forms… In this collection, he shaped the female silhouette according to rules that belong as much to architecture as to fashion. The modern woman was born; it was the explosion of the Courrèges style, “a style that is not merely an aesthetic vision but corresponds to a profound philosophy defining a way of life.” Dubbed the “bombe Courrèges” (Courrèges bombshell) by the press, this collection was a revolution in the fashion universe. Peter Knapp was there to photograph it—with complete creative freedom! In the March 1965 issue of ELLE (No. 1002), the photographer presents this new Courrèges woman through an elliptical series, making his models appear to float, suspended in space. This series forms the heart of the exhibition, featuring four large prints completed by other series, archival materials, and outfits photographed by Knapp in 1965, generously loaned by the House of Courrèges. Friendship is central to the Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght. Indeed, when they established it, the couple envisioned it as a place where artists from all disciplines could come together. The first foundation in France dedicated to modern and contemporary art, inspired by major American foundations—Barnes, Guggenheim, Phillips—it was immediately recognized as a public benefit organization. This visionary project marked a true turning point for the art world: a private patron of culture and a modern building for modern art! This project is labeled as part of the “Bicentennial of Photography” by the French Ministry of Culture and is included in the official program running from September 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. From now on, this room will be regularly dedicated to photography. The Fondation Maeght thus confirms its founding commitment to showcasing all forms of artistic expression, from painting to drawing, sculpture to music, dance to video art, poetry to photography, and more.