David Hockney was there, Gerhard Richter will be there. The Louis Vuitton Foundation is reaching for another big name.
Following the success of the David Hockney exhibition (which is still on view), the Fondation Louis Vuitton is reaching for another major name in contemporary art. This fall, the foundation's rooms will be filled with the work of Gerhard Richter.
This fall, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris will transform into a vibrant universe dedicated to one of the greatest artists of our time. From October 17, 2025, to March 2, 2026 , every room of the LVMH-sponsored gallery will be dedicated to the work of Gerhard Richter . The exhibition, eagerly awaited by the art world, promises to be one of the season's highlights.
Berlin, New National Gallery, painting by Gerhard Richter, ShutterstockThe retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton will encompass 270 works that Richter created between 1962 and 2024. From monumental oil paintings, through delicate watercolors and drawings, to experimental photographs and sculptures in glass and steel, each work represents a "world in its own right," but together they tell the story of an artist who never allowed himself to be pigeonholed.
Gerhard Richter's abstracts on display in London 2024 / Getty Images / Wiktor SzymanowiczBorn in Dresden in 1932, Gerhard Richter grew up in the shadow of war and totalitarianism, which profoundly influenced his work. After studying painting in the GDR, he decided to flee to West Germany in 1961 , where he began a new phase of his career in Düsseldorf.
Gerhard Richter's 'Abstraktes Bild' - painting at the Sotheby's pre-auction exhibition in London / Tristan Fewings / Getty ImagesEven as a young artist, he became fascinated with photography – not as a documentation tool, but as a starting point for artistic exploration.
Painting by Gerhard Richter, 1984, exhibitionWhile it's difficult to pigeonhole Richter's work into a single genre, his works often comment on war, transience, photography, and technology . He employed a variety of techniques, from classic brushwork to palette knives and squeegees.
In 2012, his painting Abstraktes Bild was sold for over $30 million , making him the most expensive living painter at the time.
In 2017, Gerhard Richter announced his "artistic retirement".
