Since 2014, a strange glass and steel vessel can be found settled on the borders of the Jardin d’Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne on the west side of Paris. This spectacular gift to Paris evokes an enormous, wind-battered sailboat or a collection of waves breaking at sea – and it’s hard not to find it captivating. The building was designed by Frank Gehry, the architect behind the monumental Guggenheim in Bilbao and the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, and took a dozen years of construction work.
So, what exactly is the Fondation Louis Vuitton? It’s a museum and cultural centre for contemporary art and performance – commissioned in 2001 by French multinational luxury goods conglomerate LMVH, dedicated to making art and culture accessible to all. According to the chairman and CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, the space “[..] opens up a dialogue with a wide public and offers artists and intellectuals a platform for debate and reflection.”
The Fondation houses an exceptional collection of works from 1960 to the present day, with artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gilbert & George, Jeff Koons, Taryn Simon, Marina Abramovic, Gerhard Richter, Christian Boltanski, and Pierre Huyghe. In addition to this, the Fondation also hosts two temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art every year as well as musical events in the auditorium.
A special programme called ‘Open Space’ is dedicated to the most contemporary artistic expressions. This has commissioned young artists including Jean-Marie Appriou, Matt Copson, Anna Hulačová, Hoël Duret, Lauren Halsey, Meriem Bennani, Jean Claracq, Bianca Bondi, Özgür Kar and Lydia Ourahmane. Inspired by the architecture of Gehry, the commissions take many different forms such as light installation, decorative scheme, film, sculpture and video. The creations are then displayed in different areas of the building.
Alongside housing specially-commissioned permanent artworks and temporary exhibitions, the big deal is the building itself. Nestled amongst the lush woodland, the eye-catching building is constructed from an astounding 3,600 glass panels and 19,000 concrete counterparts.
You’ll get an amazing sense of the outdoor environment from wherever you are in the museum, due to the expanse of glass, the ample light, the different exposed terraces, amazing views across the park as well as other organic elements like a waterfall that cascades down a flight of steps.
If you’re planning to visit, make sure to note the Fondation’s opening day and hours, and plan whether you’ll walk from the Metro or use the paid shuttle service.
For more details, visit the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s website.
