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| courtesy of shoptalk.dmagazine.com |
The exhibition—organized along six different thematic sections tracing the influences, from the streets of Paris to the world of science fiction, that have marked the couturier’s creative development, “The Odyssey of Jean Paul Gaultier,” “The Boudoir,” “Skin Deep,” “Punk Cancan,” “Urban Jungle,” and “Metropolis” —features approximately 130 ensembles from the designer’s couture collections, as well as from his prêt-à-porter line, along with their accessories. Created between 1976 and 2010, the majority of these pieces have never been exhibited. Sketches, stage costumes, and excerpts from films, runway shows, concerts, dance performances, and televised interviews will all provide a look at the couturier’s world and will explore how his avant-garde fashions challenged societal and aesthetic codes in unexpected, and often humorous, ways. Fashion photography will also be a major focus of attention, thanks to loans of, in many cases, never-before-seen prints from renowned contemporary photographers and artists.
The many legendary artistic collaborations that have characterized Gaultier’s global vision are examined within the realm of popular music, in France (Yvette Horner and Mylène Farmer) and on the international scene (Madonna, who has graciously lent two iconic corsets from her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, and a costume from her 2006 Confessions Tour, and Kylie Minogue); film (Pedro Almodóvar, Peter Greenaway, Luc Besson, Marc Caro, and Jeanâ Pierre Jeunet); and contemporary dance (Angelin Preljocaj, Régine Chopinot, and Maurice Béjart).
Placed throughout the galleries, 30 animated, talking mannequins, including one of Gaultier, add an extra dimension to the lively atmosphere by surprising visitors with their lifelike presence and spontaneous commentary. The design and staging of this innovative audio-visual creation has been produced by Montreal-based Denis Marleau and Stéphanie Jasmin of UBU/Compagnie de création.