Rick Owens, Temple of Love: Between Creation and Denunciation
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Running until January 4th, the exhibition Rick Owens, Temple of Love highlights the work of the American designer, blending creative exploration and reflection on the world. Unveiling the graphic silhouettes imagined over the years, the journey emphasizes the symbolism of the collections conceived by the artist. More than just fashion, his creations are as much a autobiographical narrative as a means to denounce the vices of society. A visit that is both personal and spectacular, not to be missed this holiday season.
Rick Owens, Fashion Designer and Messenger
The exhibition Rick Owens, Temple of Love unfolds through a scenography that is both theatrical and personal, showcasing the vast field of the artist’s creativity. Whether through clothing, furniture, or objects collected over the years, the installation highlights the importance of creation in the artist’s daily life as well as the dialogue between the arts that nourishes his thought.
Artistic director alongside the Palais Galliera for this first exhibition dedicated to his work, Rick Owens offers us a dive into his mystical and sculptural universe through several rooms, complemented by outdoor installations.
Indeed, statues wrapped in drapery, flower beds inspired by his past, and brutalist PONGS sculptures extend the path of the visit beyond the walls of the fashion museum, which becomes, more than ever, a temple of creation in the broadest sense.
From the early 90s to his more recent creations, the journey of the exhibition Rick Owens, Temple of Love underscores the impact of the artist’s work on the world of fashion and our society, balancing acts of denunciation with messages of love and tolerance.
Clothing as Autobiographical Reflection
Amidst the silhouettes dramatically unfolding in alcoves resembling mystical chapels, we discover two studio tables covered with sketches, labels, books, and other photos. Together, these elements present themselves as a biography of the artist, whose diverse experiences, encounters, and experiments have nurtured his art and his place in the fashion world.
From these silhouettes showcased in the exhibition Rick Owens, Temple of Love, we rediscover how art has shaped the artist’s style, often deemed unconventional and brutalist. Notably, we see how the imagery of the sacred and cinematic, musical, historical, and pictorial references discovered in his youth were the genesis of pieces unveiled during his future fashion shows.
We observe the evolution of his relationship with clothing, its materials (recycled work…), its colors (creation of his signature gray “dust”), and the way to structure, wear, and challenge it. We rediscover the journey of a creative, whose career began by imitating the work of others, before he launched his own label in 1992 and left his mark in the industry.
These are also life trajectories that are reflected in these pieces, where Rick Owens’s tumultuous past serves as a narrative thread in a more peaceful present. From Los Angeles to Paris, passing through Italy, the exhibition testifies to a wandering creativity, inspired by places, encounters (including his partner Michèle Lamy), and the various crafts and artisans he has surrounded himself with.
An Art to Provoke and Denounce
Beyond tracing the creative evolution of the artist, the exhibition Rick Owens, Temple of Love underscores the importance of clothing as a spokesperson.
“I reject nothing and condemn nothing, I just propose another option” – Rick Owens
Utilizing fashion shows as stages of expression (in line with the notion of “total artwork” by Wagner), the collections and pieces presented carry reflections on society and the dysfunctions of our era and its morals.
Initially intended to provoke, shock, and denounce, these creations have questioned notions of the strange, hypocrisy, racial struggle, women’s rights, climate change, and the domination of patriarchy. This is true both in their appearance and in the way they are presented during fashion shows.
However, over the years, anger has been set aside to enrobe the creations with messages of tenderness. Between tributes to the deceased and exploration of the creator’s origins, love has become his new creative engine.
This evolution in symbolism echoes a new approach to fashion – with silhouettes becoming more colorful and sculptural. This quest for calm and love is illustrated today in the exhibition by three outdoor statues draped in fabrics, Sisters of Mercy, symbols of protection and peace.
Continuing this spirit of a living and ever-evolving work, part of the pieces are displayed in daylight, thus going against conventional conservation rules. This choice integrates the creative process of the artist, who views possible degradations as a reflection of life’s trials.
Open until January 4, 2026, the exhibition presents itself as a great outing idea for the holidays!
Photos: Palais Galliera
