The PPG Guide to Events & Exhibitions in Paris this June

Every summer in Paris, as soon as the weather turns nice after a harsh winter, terraces are full of patrons sipping on rosé wine, and parks are full of picnics.  Here’s our round up of the events beyond the cafés that you should be sure not to miss if you’re in the City of Lights this summer.

The 2012 French Open at Roland Garros  Tennis fans should not miss one of France’s most exciting and important tournaments. Tennis greats like Steffi Graf made their debuts at Roland Garros, and the French Open continues to host some of the world’s unforgettable matches.

When: Through June 10th, the 2012 French Open at Roland Garros takes Paris by storm.

Matisse – Pairs and Sets  The Centre Georges Pompidou is currently showing a retrospective on French painter Henri Matisse which focuses on repeated themes and motifs in the artist’s work, allowing for a closer understanding of his aesthetic and thematic preoccupations.

When: Through June 18th, 2012. Where: Centre Georges Pompidou

Fête de la Musique  Every June 21st, free musical performances of all genres are on across the city, making for one of the year’s liveliest and most convivial events.  

The LGBT Pride Parade (Paris Gay Pride) takes the streets of the city of light by storm on Saturday, June 30th. One of the year’s most popular festivals for locals and visitors of all stripes, this year’s festival kicks off near the Montparnasse-Bienvenue metro station at 2:00 pm (on the Place du 18 Juin 1940), winding through the city to Bastille on the right bank.

Tim Burton at the Cinematheque Francaise  The Cinémathèque Française is hosting a major retrospective on iconoclastic filmmaker Tim Burton, who rose to mainstream prominence with cult classics including Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is the same retrospective conceived by the MOMA in New York. The exhibit, featuring some 700 works by Burton, includes the director’s early drawings, sculptures (including several which were created exclusively for the exposition), costumes and accessories, models and film excerpts.

When: Through August 5th, 2012. Where: Cinematheque Francaise

Trompe l’oeil (Tricking the Eye)  A show which opened last month at Paris’s Arts Décoratifs museum celebrates the “trompe l’oeil” technique and the complex art of deception. The exhibit features over 400 works, from paintings and sculpture to textiles, highlighting techniques of trickery originating in ancient Greece.

When: Through November 2013. Where: Musee des arts decoratifs 107 rue de Rivoli,1st arrondissement

Degas and the Nude  An important exhibit consecrated to French impressionist painter Edgar Degas and the art of the nude is a must-see this month at the Musee d’Orsay.

When: Through July 1st, 2012. Where: Musee d’Orsay

Giorgio de Chirico: A retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris dedicated to metaphysical painter and adopted Parisian de Chirico examines the artist’s vast influence on subsequent schools of modern art.

When: Through July 12th, 2012. Where: Musee d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

Bob Dylan, Rock Explosion ’61-’66  Fans of Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan, and his enormous repertoire of folk hits and lesser-known, poetically infused ballads should make sure to see this retrospective at the Cite de la Musique. The exhibit focuses on Dylan’s emergence onto the New York folk music scene in the 1960’s, as artists, musicians and poets became more engaged with political and social struggles, notably the civil rights movement.

When: Through July 15th, 2012. Where: Cite de la Musique 221, avenue Jean-Jaurès

Modigliani, Soutine and the Legend of Montparnasse – The Jonas Netter Collection  This exhibit at the Pinacotheque gallery near Madeleine is highlighting how highly influential Alsatian art collector Jonas Netter essentially brought the works of artists such as Modigliani, Soutine and Utrillo to the attention of the greater public. Several never-before exhibited works by Modigliani await at this show, which also providesa glimpse into the explosion of artistic production in Montparnasse in the early 20th century.

When: Through September 9th, 2012. Where: Pinacotheque de Paris  Madeleine    The Parisian summer picnic essentials