Photo : Gérald Bloncourt / Bridgeman Images
Georges Perec, user's manuals
The BnF devotes a major exhibition of nearly 300 pieces to the writer Georges Perec (1936-1982), a major figure in 20th-century French literature and an iconic member of the Oulipo. Author of "Things", "A Void", and "Life: A User's Manual", among others, translated into many languages, Perec remains a benchmark writer whose work continues to inspire many creators.
Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand – Galerie 2 (Paris 13th)
About
The exhibition in brief
Designed as a "user's manual" exhibition, this presentation brings together nearly 300 pieces and invites you to discover or learn more about a polymorphic body of work. Manuscripts, photographs, paintings, drawings, and objects kept at the National Library of France, at its Arsenal site (Paris 4th), examine the "Perec myth" while unveiling, in mirror of his writings, the man behind the work.
A Life: A User's Manual
Georges Perec's life began tragically: his father died in 1940 during the first battles of the Second World War, his mother was deported and murdered in Auschwitz in 1943, and he spent the Occupation as a "hidden child" in the Vercors. After a difficult start, literary success arrived in 1965 with Things: A Story of the Sixties, faded a little, then resurfaced in 1978 thanks to the success of Life: A User's Manual. After Perec's sudden death at 46, his work has continued to gain importance and recognition until his entry into the prestigious Bibliothèque de la Pléiade in 2017.
Vowels and an Absent Letter: A Journey Through Perec's Work and Life
Playful and interactive, the exhibition's path unfolds in six spaces conceived as the vowels of the alphabet. Through these stages, it reveals a body of work whose discovery also reveals the man hiding behind the texts.
Notes, manuscripts, typescripts, and publications dialogue with photographs, drawings, paintings, and objects (a bicycle, a typewriter) to weave a relationship with the visitor where the notion of play, so present in Perec and his Oulipian friends, occupies a central place.
Space A: The first space presents the great diversity of a protean body of work, particularly noticeable in his early attempts and first publications, such as Things (1965 Renaudot Prize), and A Man Asleep, which the writer adapted for cinema in 1974.
Space [E]: A reference to one of his most famous works, A Void, in which the letter E never appears, this mystery space evokes absence and composes, in reverse, the portrait of the person the exhibition calls upon.
Space I: This space shows the liberating use of constraint in the construction and writing of novels (A Void) as well as poems (Alphabets), nourished by his companionship with the Oulipo (Ouvroir de littérature potentielle), a literary research group founded in 1960 by Raymond Queneau and François Le Lionnais.
Space O: This section focuses on the attention paid to common and ordinary things, which make up the daily decor and define a generation as well as an individual. Evoked here are I Remember and Species of Spaces, today extended by numerous creators and which also invite their readers to continue the gesture.
Space U: When his desire for totality relies on constraints to rehabilitate realism and epic ambition, Perec builds Life: A User's Manual (1978 Médicis Prize), his masterpiece, whose creation stages are presented based on preparatory manuscripts.
Space Y: The last section of the exhibition testifies to the belief in literature as a remedy, a salvific search, and a vital affirmation, beyond the traumas of a stolen childhood (W or the Memory of Childhood) or the interrogation of exile (Ellis Island).
A source of inspiration for creators from all horizons
The numerous resonances of Perec's work among contemporary artists are evoked by the presentation of several plastic or graphic works by Christian Boltanski, Sophie Calle, Sam Szafran, On Kawara, or Roman Opalka; models by Clarence Stiernet, embroideries by the Perecofil group, and drawings by Brecht Evens or Étienne Lécroart… The exhibition also offers a chance to discover the little-known, if not unprecedented, talent of Georges Perec as a draftsman and painter. Finally, a selection of film excerpts reminds us of his participation in several cinematographic productions.
The Truth About Lies at the Arsenal Library
In parallel, an annex to the exhibition dedicated to Perec, The Truth About Lies, is presented free of charge at the Arsenal Library, a BnF site where the writer's archives have been kept since 1984. This proposal invites us to question with impertinence the figure of the forger, often a driving force in Perec's work, as well as his games of trompe-l'œil.
Our take on this event
Step into the whimsical mind of one of literature's greatest puzzle-makers through a collection of intimate artifacts and rare manuscripts. This playful journey explores both the creative genius and the person behind the pages, inviting you to discover the secret mechanics of his iconic prose.
The Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand hosts a major retrospective dedicated to the life and work of Georges Perec. Running from October 13, 2026, to February 14, 2027, the exhibition showcases nearly 300 items, ranging from original manuscripts and personal items to works by contemporary artists influenced by his literary legacy. Organized into six vowel-themed sections, the display explores the playful and intricate world of a writer whose mastery of constraints defined a unique era in literature. Whether you are a dedicated reader or a newcomer, this exhibition offers a profound look at the man behind the works. The event is ticketed, with prices ranging from 0 to 15 euros.
Located at the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand’s Galerie 2, the exhibition Georges Perec, modes d'emploi invites visitors to explore the creative mind of the author behind La Vie mode d'emploi. Through an interactive journey spanning six distinct sections, the public can discover the depth of a polymorphic career, from the success of Les Choses to his eventual induction into the Pléiade library. The exhibit features a collection of manuscripts, typescripts, and personal artifacts that highlight his lifelong dedication to Oulipian games and literary constraints.
Beyond his own writing, the exhibition highlights Perec's lasting impact on contemporary art. Visitors will find works by artists such as Christian Boltanski, Sophie Calle, and Sam Szafran, alongside a selection of Perec’s own drawings and films. This comprehensive display bridges the gap between the writer’s private life and his public, monumental achievements.
The exhibition is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00, and Sundays from 13:00 to 19:00. Tickets are available for purchase, ranging from 0 to 15 euros. Additionally, an auxiliary exhibit titled Le vrai du faux is available for free at the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, focusing on the themes of forgery and optical illusions that frequently appeared in the author's work.
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