Montpellier Summer 2026: Four Must-See Exhibitions from Kiki Smith to Pierre Paulin

Connaissance des Arts highlights four unmissable exhibitions in Montpellier this summer. At MO.CO., 'Kiki Smith, Être ici / Maintenant / Partout' presents around one hundred works by the American artist spanning forty years, focusing on the body through minimalist sculptures, drawings, and photographs. The exhibition runs until October 11 at 13 rue de la République. Meanwhile, MO.CO. La Panacée hosts 'À fleur de peau', exploring monstrous and mutant forms in contemporary art with eighty works from the 1970s to today, including pieces by Stéphane Mandelbaum, Mónica Mays, Penny Goring, and Augustin Katz, also until October 11. The musée Fabre dedicates a major retrospective to designer Pierre Paulin, 'Le Design selon Pierre Paulin (1927-2009)', showcasing his functional furniture from the 1950s to avant-garde seating of the 1970s. Highlights include the monumental Fumoir created for the Élysée Palace at the request of President Georges Pompidou, restored in 2023 by the Atelier de recherche et de création (ARC) du Mobilier national, and the Video Barnum installation (1985). The exhibition runs until November 1. Finally, the Pavillon populaire presents 'Premières fois. Premières photos', featuring fifty iconic photographers including Boubat, Cartier-Bresson, and Parr, alongside pioneering images such as the first daguerreotype and works by Niépce, until November 1. These exhibitions offer diverse reasons to visit the city.