Annette Messager Enters the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature with Her Entire Bestiary

The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris is hosting a major exhibition dedicated to the animal-themed works of Annette Messager. Titled "Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps," the show integrates Messager’s diverse practice—including drawings, sculptures, and her signature use of plush toys—into the museum’s permanent collection of taxidermy and hunting artifacts. Curated by Colin Lemoine, the exhibition spans three floors and features works ranging from a ceramic cat from the artist's own kitchen to provocative installations like a taxidermied dachshund wearing a surgical mask.

This exhibition is significant as it marks a major institutional dialogue between Messager’s subversive, often feminist-coded aesthetic and the traditional, masculine-coded environment of a hunting museum. By juxtaposing her "cruel embroideries" and eviscerated stuffed animals with historical weaponry and trophies, the show highlights the artist's career-long exploration of intimacy, childhood memory, and the blurred lines between the human and animal worlds. It also represents a key programming milestone for Alice Gandin, the museum's new director.