Holidays under the Spanish dictatorship, a retrospective on Katsushika Hokusai, artistic visions of the apocalypse across centuries… These seven exhibitions in Europe deserve a prime spot on your cultural calendar this season.
From Berlin to Bilbao, via Paris and Gothenburg, summer continues with captivating exhibitions on diverse cultural, artistic, and social themes. Between reflections on our world and immersions into creative universes, these experiences plunge visitors into fascinating realms.
Vamos a la playa – Holidays under Franco at the Museum Europäischer Kulturen (Berlin, Germany)
The Museum Europäischer Kulturen dedicates an exhibition to the rise of mass tourism under the Spanish dictatorship, marking the 50th anniversary of Francisco Franco’s death. In the Spain of the 1960s—devastated by civil war and autarky—Franco opened the country to foreign visitors to revive the economy. Hotel and infrastructure construction quickly attracted vacationers drawn to the beaches, low prices, and picturesque image of an “authentic” lifestyle. These trips became a positive showcase, masking ongoing political repression. Under the title Vamos a la playa. Holidays under Franco, eight European artists explore this contradiction through multimedia installations, photographs, and collages. For the first time, the two sections presented in 2024 in Catalonia are brought together, offering a reflection on collective memory and the conscious or unconscious impact of travelers on the image of Francoist Spain. On view until December 7, 2025.
Paul Poiret, Fashion Is a Party at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Paris, France)
Dive into the audacity and elegance of Paul Poiret (1879–1944) at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. This is the first major Parisian retrospective dedicated to the visionary who, in the early 20th century, revolutionized haute couture by freeing women’s bodies from the corset. From the Belle Époque to the Roaring Twenties, the exhibition showcases nearly 550 pieces—dresses, accessories, drawings, perfumes, and decorative objects—tracing the creator’s exuberant world. Visitors discover his love for parties, decorative arts, and gastronomy, all facets that shaped his lasting influence on contemporary fashion, from Christian Dior to Alphonse Maitrepierre. A must-see for lovers of fashion and history, on view until January 11, 2026.
Click here to read the full article on Luxus Magazine.
Featured photo : Barbara Kruger: Another day. Another night. Vue d’installation, Musée Guggenheim Bilbao, 24 juin – novembre 9, 2025. Courtoisie de l’artiste, Sprüth Magers et David Zwirner
