16 Must-See Contemporary Art Exhibitions for Fall 2026
The art season for fall 2026 in France is set to showcase significant exhibitions. Kicking off on September 19 is the 18th Biennale de Lyon, curated by Catherine Nichols, featuring over 70 artists and 400 events. In Paris, the nominees for the Prix Marcel Duchamp 2026 will be on display at the Musée d'Art Moderne starting October 2. Sheila Hicks will showcase her work at the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille from October 9, while Caroline Desnoëttes' "Eaux vives" will debut at Collège des Bernardins. Lionel Sabatté's "Ce qui reste" opens on October 15, and François Morellet's centenary celebration takes place at Cité de l'architecture from October 16. The Large contemporary art center will launch "Moteur Imaginaire" on October 17. Additional exhibitions include Prune Nourry's "Visionnaires" from October 20 and Art Basel Paris from October 23-25, concluding with "Adolescence, mode et rébellion" on December 9.
Key facts
- 18th Biennale de Lyon, curated by Catherine Nichols, runs September 19 to December 13, 2026, with over 70 artists.
- Prix Marcel Duchamp 2026 exhibition at Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, October 2, 2026 to February 7, 2027, featuring Joël Andrianomearisoa, Brognon Rollin, Laura Henno, Josèfa Ntjam.
- Sheila Hicks' 'Au-delà' at Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, October 9, 2026 to March 8, 2027.
- Caroline Desnoëttes' 'Eaux vives' at Collège des Bernardins, Paris, October 9 to December 1, 2026.
- Lionel Sabatté's 'Ce qui reste' at Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Paris, October 15, 2026 to February 21, 2027.
- François Morellet centenary exhibition 'Traits d'esprit' at Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, October 16, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
- Large center opens on Île Seguin with 'Moteur Imaginaire' curated by Cecilia Alemani, October 17, 2026 to March 7, 2027.
- Art Basel Paris 5th edition at Grand Palais, public days October 23-25, 2026, with 211 galleries from 41 countries.
Entities
Artists
- William Kentridge
- Catherine Nichols
- Joël Andrianomearisoa
- Laure Prouvost
- Rossella Biscotti
- Mikhail Karikis
- Álvaro Urbano
- Brognon Rollin
- Laura Henno
- Josèfa Ntjam
- Sheila Hicks
- Caroline Desnoëttes
- Lionel Sabatté
- François Morellet
- Paula Aisemberg
- Cecilia Alemani
- Théo Mercier
- Sara Sadik
- Clément Cogitore
- Bertrand Lavier
- Mohamed El Khatib
- Prune Nourry
- Käthe Kollwitz
- Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry
- Alex Katz
- Rose Lowder
- Ali Cherri
- Ibrahim Mahama
- Franz West
- Dan Flavin
- Jim Britt
- Walter Benjamin
- Robert Filliou
- Gina Proenza
Institutions
- Bozar
- Biennale de Lyon
- macLYON
- Musée des Tissus
- Les Grandes Locos
- Musée des Confluences
- IAC de Villeurbanne
- Fondation Bullukian
- Prix Marcel Duchamp
- Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris
- Centre Pompidou
- Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
- Collège des Bernardins
- Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature
- Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine
- Large
- Groupe Emerige
- RCR Arquitectes
- Petit Palais
- Musée Matisse
- Palais de Tokyo
- Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain
- Art Basel Paris
- Grand Palais
- Miu Miu
- Palais d'Iéna
- Beaux-Arts de Paris
- Moderne Art Fair
- Paris Internationale
- Asia Now
- Monnaie de Paris
- Design Miami Paris
- Hôtel de Maisons
- Albertina Modern
- Guggenheim Bilbao
- Connaissance des Arts
- Kentridge Studio
- Marian Goodman Gallery
- Ceysson & Bénétière
- Red Clay
- MoMu
Locations
- Bruxelles
- Belgique
- Lyon
- France
- Villeurbanne
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Paris
- Lille
- Nice
- Vienne
- Autriche
- Bilbao
- Espagne
- Île Seguin
- Boulogne-Billancourt
- Hastings
- Nebraska
- USA
- Tamale
- Ghana