Global Symposium: Montparnasse and its legacies

Montparnasse has long been internationally recognized as a cradle of artistic creation, renowned for the multicultural and heterogeneous avant-garde that flourished there at the dawn of the 20th century. French artists and creators from all over the world were drawn to this neighborhood, then known for its artistic effervescence, its spirit of innovation, and the radical freedom that characterized it. Yet, despite its close connection with some of the most famous figures of the century—notably Brâncuși, Soutine, Zadkine, Foujita, Modigliani, Picasso, and many others—Montparnasse remains a globally creative ecosystem that is clearly understudied and undertheorized.

While the first School of Paris (1905-1940) is at the origin of the neighborhood's reputation and legend, the artistic culture of Montparnasse continued to radiate until the post-war period, animated by figures such as Alberto Giacometti, Yves Klein, Niki de Saint Phalle, Agnès Varda, Frans Krajcberg, and Claude de Soria. Today, the legacy of the School of Paris constitutes a powerful historical model of cultural openness, at a time when the need for intercultural dialogue is more pressing than ever.

This symposium aims to bring together currently disparate but closely linked lines of research—covering art history, museum studies, cultural anthropology, disability studies, gender studies, and queer theory—in order to engage in long-term reflection on the creative ecosystem of Montparnasse, both past and present. In doing so, we seek to re-examine the relationship between Montparnassian creators and their place of living, questioning what made—and continues to make—this neighborhood a unique place of creative fusion on a global scale.