Paris à l'arraché : Jacques Villeglé et l'art urbain

Exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet, Paris, 14 October 2026 – 14 February 2027

From the moment he arrived in Paris in 1949, Jacques Villeglé (1926–2002) made the city his studio. For over fifty years, he roamed iconic neighbourhoods such as Montparnasse and Les Halles. He collected posters that revealed the poetry and materiality of Parisian streets, whilst documenting the political and social upheavals in France.

This exhibition catalogue invites readers to discover the work of an artist who transformed the capital’s torn posters into a unique visual language. It also prompts reflection on Villeglé’s legacy in contemporary urban art, and helps us understand how the artist, an archivist of Paris, captured the soul of the city and laid the foundations for modern urban art.