Striped tops, iconic female-form perfume bottles, a bleach crop, pointed bra cups – these are just some of the trademarks Jean-Paul Gaultier has garnered over his 35-year career. To celebrate the anniversary of his house, Maison Jean Paul Gaultier
Striped tops, iconic female-form perfume bottles, a bleach crop, pointed bra cups – these are just some of the trademarks Jean-Paul Gaultier has garnered over his 35-year career. To celebrate the anniversary of his house, Maison Jean Paul Gaultier has partnered with The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for From The Sidewalk to the Catwalk, the first international retrospective of the avant-garde couturier’s work.
Heavily involved in the curation process, Gaultier considered the exhibition to be a creation in its own right, rather than a conventional retrospective. Divided into five thematic sections – Multi-Gender, Paris, Fusions, Metropolis and Eurotrash/X-Rated – it features 140 fully-accessorised looks, from his couture and ready-to-wear collections between 1976 and 2010, many of which have not been previously exhibited. An extensive selection of audiovisual clips from films, runway shows, concerts, ballets, interviews and television programmes are also showcased alongside an array of revelatory sketches, illustrations and stage costumes. The exhibition also boasts a substantial photography collection, featuring never-before-seen prints from photographers and artists, including Andy Warhol, Erwin Wurm, Richard Avedon and Cindy Sherman. A prominent portion of the exhibition is dedicated to the many artistic collaborations that famously – and infamously – showcased Gaultier’s unorthodox creative, including Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Lady Gaga.
“I wanted to create an exhibition on Jean Paul Gaultier more than any other couturier because of his great humanity,” Nathalie Bondil, Director and Chief Curator told AnOther. “He offers an open-minded vision of society, a crazy, sensitive, funny, sassy world in which everyone can assert his or her own identity, a world without discrimination, a unique ‘fusion couture'. Beneath Jean Paul Gaultier’s wit and irreverence lie a true generosity of spirit and a very powerful message for society. His humanist aesthetic touches me deeply.”
The Fashion World of Jean-Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk runs until October 2, 2011 at The Montreal Museum of Fine Art, Canada. The exhibition will then travel to the Dallas Museum of Art from November 13 until February 12, 2012 and Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco: de Young from March 24 until August 19.
Text by Charli Cohen
