The Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris will host a major retrospective of Gerhard Richter's work, opening on October 17 and occupying all 34 of its galleries. Curated by Nicholas Serota and Dieter Schwarz, the exhibition assembles 270 works spanning over six decades, from early photo-paintings like 'Tante Marianne' (1965) to the final abstractions he made before stopping painting in 2017. The show traces Richter's evolution from his upbringing under Nazism and Socialist Realism in East Germany to his defection to the West and his ongoing daily pencil drawings. A companion show at David Zwirner's Paris gallery will feature Richter's later painted works and recent drawings.
This retrospective matters because it is the most comprehensive exhibition ever dedicated to Richter, one of the most influential living artists, whose work commands record auction prices and explores profound themes of memory, history, and representation. The inclusion of 'Tante Marianne'—a portrait of his aunt who was a victim of the Nazi euthanasia program—highlights the personal and political weight in Richter's art. The show also underscores the ongoing relevance of his practice, as he continues to create despite having stopped painting, and reflects the trust he placed in curators Serota and Schwarz to handle his legacy.