Mathieu Forget's Levitation Retrospective Opens at Tour Saint-Jacques, Paris Photo
Mathieu Forget, aged 37 and previously a high-ranking tennis competitor, is marking ten years of his distinct levitation photography through a retrospective exhibition and an upcoming book. Known as "The Flying Man," he was awarded a tennis scholarship at 18 to the University of California, Santa Barbara, and gained widespread attention in 2017 from a viral image. In 2020, Forget began creating self-portraits in Palm Springs. With a following of 1.7 million, he successfully partners with brands. His book, titled Levitation, will launch in 2026 for €75, complemented by an outdoor show in Paris from November 16, 2026, to January 4, 2027.
Key facts
- Mathieu Forget is a 37-year-old former elite tennis player turned photographer known as "The Flying Man"
- His breakthrough levitation image was shot by Zach Lipson in Chicago in 2017
- His first self-portrait was taken in Palm Springs in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic
- He has 1.7 million followers across social media, with about 70% of revenue from brand collaborations
- Levitation, published by Forgetmat Studio and priced at €75, is his second coffee-table book and first decade retrospective
- The Mathieu Forget Exhibition — 10 Years of Photography runs November 16, 2026, to January 4, 2027, at the Tour Saint-Jacques railings in Paris's 4th arrondissement, free admission
- At Paris Photo at the Grand Palais he unveils 200 unique pieces from a project on the Simone Veil Elementary School in the Paris region
- In 2027 he plans a 100-copy collector's edition, a 25-copy XXL format, a January retrospective at Galerie Polka, and a project for the 2028 Los Angeles Games
Entities
Artists
- Mathieu Forget
- Zach Lipson
- Victoria Dauberville
- Michael Jackson
- Usher
- Céline Dion
- Louise Dupont
Institutions
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Roland Garros
- Lacoste
- Le Parisien
- TF1
- M6
- Sony
- Apple
- Canon
- TikTok
- Forgetmat Studio
- Galerie Polka
- Grand Palais
- Paris Photo
- Simone Veil Elementary School
- PetaPixel
- France 24
Locations
- United States
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Palm Springs
- France
- Paris
- Tour Saint-Jacques
- Japan
- Turkey
- Antarctica
- Europe
- Americas