The Exhibition
Brion Gysin. The Last Museum is presented at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris until July 12, 2026. "Brion Gysin.
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris presents "Brion Gysin. The Last Museum," the artist’s first retrospective in a Parisian museum.
From April 10 to July 12, 2026, more than 140 works trace the multifaceted career of a creator who crossed all the 20th-century avant-gardes. Painter, poet, performer, photographer, and musician, Brion Gysin (1916–1986) invented the cut-up and the Dreamachine.
His work unfolds at the intersection of painting and writing, between surrealism, beat culture, and punk-rock. The museum’s collection, uniquely rich worldwide, forms the foundation of this landmark exhibition.
Why Go
The first major Parisian retrospective of Brion Gysin is on view at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris from April 10 to July 12, 2026. Through more than 140 works, the exhibition captures the power of a multifaceted artist who spanned surrealism, the Beat Generation, and contemporary avant-gardes.
An Artist Between Dream, Travel and PARIS
From Surrealism to the Beat Generation The journey opens with Brion Gysin’s interest in dreams, surrealism, and the effects of drugs on the mind. Passionate about otherness and a wanderer of the margins, Gysin travels the globe and mingles with alternative and underground movements.
His wanderings bring him into contact with a wide variety of creative and intellectual circles. Brion Gysin (1916–1986), Unit VII, 1961, acrylic painting
Editor's note
The editorial team warmly recommends this retrospective: it is a lively and generous experience that shakes perception and rekindles the pleasure of discovery. You come out with your vision and imagination reshaped, as after meeting an inventor of images and phrases.
Go to feel the energy of an artist who refuses labels and continues, even today, to inspire and move people — a visit well worth the trip.
Cut-up and Dreamachine
The Art of Fragmentation and Visions The exhibition highlights all dimensions of the cut-up, a technique Brion Gysin discovered in autumn 1959 at the Beat Hotel in Paris. This Dadaist revival consists of cutting into a text and rearranging the pieces randomly. 140+
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is « Brion Gysin. The Last Museum » held?
The exhibition takes place from April 10 to July 12, 2026, at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, 11 avenue du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris. It is the first major retrospective devoted to Brion Gysin in a Parisian museum, gathering over 140 works covering the whole of his multifaceted career.
What are the opening hours, price, and access to the collections?
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm, with a late opening on Thursday until 9:30pm; it is closed on Monday. The adult price for the exhibition is €17. Note: admission to the museum's permanent collections is free, while the exhibition ticket grants access to the Gysin panorama.
How can I get there?
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris is easily reached: metro line 9 (Iéna or Alma-Marceau stations), RER C (Pont de l'Alma), bus line 72 (stop « Musée d'Art Moderne – Palais de Tokyo »). Cycling is also possible thanks to nearby Vélib' stations. Its location on the Seine allows combining the visit with a stroll to the Palais de Tokyo.
What can one expect from the visit?
The retrospective offers an immersion into the universe of a creator at the crossroads of surrealism, the Beat Generation, and punk-rock aesthetics: paintings, texts, photographs, recordings, and devices. It includes Gysin's two major inventions – the cut-up (discovered at the Beat Hotel in 1959) and the Dreamachine – along with comparisons to artists and creators he inspired (William S. Burroughs, Keith Haring, Patti Smith…). It’s a stimulating exhibition, ideal to sense the inventiveness of a traveling and iconoclastic artist.
Multimedia and Artistic Dialogues
From Victor Hugo to Keith Haring Throughout the route, emphasis is placed on the multimedia aspect of Brion Gysin’s artistic output. The ongoing dialogue he maintained with other artists, past and present, is the guiding thread of this final section.
In counterpoint, the exhibition shows works by creators who were close to Gysin or inspired by him: William S. Burroughs, Françoise Janicot and Bernard Heidsieck, John Giorno, Keith Haring, Patti Smith, Ramuntcho Matta.
Other figures mark the journey, from Victor Hugo to Henri Michaux, including René Laubiès and Mohamed Hamri.
Gallery
Ready for the Visit?
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