Prune Nourry's Tactile Exhibition Invades the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval
Prune Nourry (born 1985) showcases 'Défense de rien toucher' at the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval in Hauterives from May 31 to September 6, 2026. This tactile exhibition invites guests to engage with the artworks, challenging a 1905 prohibition. In collaboration with La Poste, Nourry created the first embossed postage stamp in the world, featuring Aïcha, a visually impaired girl, sending a letter to Philomène, the second wife of Ferdinand Cheval. The exhibition, which has drawn 25,000 attendees, is designed for blind visitors and reflects Nourry's personal battle with breast cancer in 2016. Featured works include 'Terracotta Daughters' (2012) and 'Holy Daughters' (2010). Six bronze Venus figures, part of a project aiding women affected by violence, will be installed at Saint-Denis Pleyel station by 2027.
Key facts
- Prune Nourry's exhibition 'Défense de rien toucher' runs from May 31 to September 6, 2026 at the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval.
- The exhibition is fully accessible to blind visitors with tactile elements, braille, and audio description.
- Nourry created the world's first embossed postage stamp with La Poste, featuring the hand of blind girl Aïcha.
- The stamp accompanies a letter to Philomène, Ferdinand Cheval's second wife, who financed the land purchase.
- Six bronze Venus sculptures guard the palace, made with rammed-earth bases from local Hauterives soil.
- The Venuses are based on a project with the Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis for women victims of violence.
- A full-scale version of 108 Venuses will be installed at Saint-Denis Pleyel station by 2027, designed by Kengo Kuma.
- The exhibition has attracted 25,000 visitors in its first month.
Entities
Artists
- Prune Nourry
- Ferdinand Cheval
- Agnès Varda
- Kengo Kuma
Institutions
- Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval
- La Poste
- Institut national des jeunes aveugles
- Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis
- Beaux Arts
- Grand Paris Express
- Fondation Bullukian
- Musée Camille Claudel
Locations
- Hauterives
- France
- Saint-Denis Pleyel
- Saint-Denis
- China
- India
- Lyon