The Centre Pompidou in Paris is hosting a final major exhibition before its closure for five years of renovations, starting in early 2026. The exhibition, a carte blanche given to German artist Wolfgang Tillmans, will be the last cultural event before the closure. It will be held from June 13 to September 22, 2025, taking over the 6,000 m² of the Bibliothèque publique d'information (Bpi) on Level 2.
The exhibition, titled "Rien ne nous y préparait - Tout nous y préparait" (Nothing prepared us for it - Everything prepared us for it), is a retrospective spanning 35 years of Tillmans' work, including photography, moving images, music, texts, and performances. The installation is designed to interact with the architecture and functions of the library, prompting visitors to consider knowledge transmission and societal changes since 1989.
The Centre Pompidou's renovation project, which includes asbestos removal, enhanced fire safety, improved accessibility, and optimized energy efficiency, necessitates the building's closure. The library, specifically, will be temporarily relocated to the Lumière building at 40 avenue des Terroirs de France starting August 25, 2025.
