“The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From The Sidewalk to the Catwalk” is presented in six different thematic sections that trace the influences that have marked the couturier’s creative development:

The Odyssey of Jean Paul Gaultier;

The Boudoir;

Skin Deep;

Punk Cancan;

Urban Jungle;

and Metropolis.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts & Maison Jean Paul Gaultier

“I wanted to create an exhibition on Jean Paul Gaultier more than any other couturier because of his great humanity.”… “Beyond the technical virtuosity resulting from exceptional expertise in the various skills involved in haute couture, an unbridled imagination and ground-breaking artistic collaborations, 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.” Nathalie Bondil, Director and Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

The ‘Gaultier Show’ is curated by the MMFA’s Thierry-Maxime Loriot.

Collaborative Associations:

Jean Paul Gaultier has collaborated with many film directors (Pedro Almodóvar, Peter Greenaway, Luc Besson, Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet), contemporary dance troops (Angelin Preljocaj, Régine Chopinot and Maurice Béjart), and music extravaganzas (Yvette Horner, Mylène Farmer, Kylie Minogue and Madonna). He is an admirer of Lady Gaga, so who knows what might be next. Jean Paul Gaultier has had a major impact on fashion photography with contemporary photographers and renowned contemporary artists (Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Erwin Wurm, David LaChapelle, Richard Avedon, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, Steven Klein, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Pierre et Gilles, Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Paolo Roversi and Robert Doisneau…).

Innovation:

This unique multimedia show uses 30 animated mannequins in theatrical settings and displays over 140 ensembles along with all the ensemble accessories, numerous sketches and photos that span the early 70’s to 2010.

“the Quebec-based UBU/Compagnie de création for the design and animation of a poetic, playful multimedia creation. Denis Marleau and Stéphanie Jasmin came up with the idea of animating thirty faces through an ingenious projection system. Wearing remarkable wigs and headdresses by Odile Gilbert, founder of the Atelier 68 in Paris, these mannequins are placed throughout the galleries, surprising visitors with their lifelike presence. A dozen celebrities, including Gaultier himself, models Ève Salvail and Francisco Randez, singer and filmmaker Melissa Auf der Maur, soprano Suzie LeBlanc and TV host Virginie Coossa have lent their faces and sometimes even their voices to this innovative project, produced for the first time by a museum. A particularly innovative mise en scène was designed with the architectural and stage design firm Projectiles, Paris, which also designed the Miles Davis retrospective presented at the Museum in 2010.” Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.