In the fall of 2026, the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris will dedicate an exhibition to a recent acquisition, *A Hot Afternoon* by Gina Pane (1977). Of Italian origin and trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this artist is one of the leading figures in body art. She creates performances that she calls “actions,” which give rise to visual compositions, or “constatations.” Comprising 29 elements (19 photographs and 10 preparatory drawings accompanied by texts) arranged according to a logic that is more formal than narrative, the “constat” of *A Hot Afternoon* documents the action conceived in 1977 for Documenta 6 in Kassel.
Following a highly elaborate structure that revisits the artist’s main themes (wounds, the body, childhood, and the social and cultural obstacles that constrain women or silence their voices), this performance constitutes an exceptional reflection on the modes of artistic expression, which are here staged and examined by the artist. It is both one of Gina Pane’s most accomplished performances and one of her final works in the field of body art.
In dialogue with *A Hot Afternoon* and the archives donated to the School by the artist’s estate at the time of acquisition, works from the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris collection suggest visual and symbolic associations that situate Gina Pane’s work within a broader historical context. This will be embodied in a distinctly contemporary manner through contributions by students at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, in collaboration with the studios of Mireille Blanc & Eva Nielsen, Julien Prévieux, and Emmanuelle Huynh, as well as the student association BapPerf.
On this occasion, the Beaux-Arts de Paris will present a program of student performances on October 19 and November 25, 2026, as well as an evening dedicated to Gina Pane in December as part of the “Penser le présent” series.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog.
Curators
Giulia Longo, curator of prints and photographs at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, and Alice Thomine-Berrada, collections manager at the Beaux-Arts de Paris.
Practical Information
Beaux-Arts de Paris
Department of Drawings and Prints – Jean Bonna
14 rue Bonaparte, Paris 6
Wednesday through Sunday, 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
5, 10, or 15 € - the choice is yours!
The “responsible ticketing” initiative invites every visitor coming to explore an exhibition at the Beaux-Arts de Paris to choose their admission ticket from among three available prices: 5 €, 10 €, or 15 €. Contribute according to your means, your passion, and your desire to support the museum!
Free admission (upon presentation of valid proof of eligibility):
- under 26 years of age
- students and faculty of the Ministry of Culture’s national higher schools of art and architecture
- students at institutions affiliated with the Université Paris-Sciences-et-Lettres (PSL)
- students at the École du Louvre
- holders of the Ministry of Culture card
- Friends of the Beaux-Arts de Paris
- holders of the following cards: Maison des Artistes, ICOM, ICOMOS, French Association of Curators (CEA)
- journalists
- job seekers, recipients of minimum social benefits
- civilians with disabilities and war veterans with disabilities (with one companion)
