From May 31 to September 20, 2026, the Palais des Arts et du Festival will host over a hundred works by the artist, focused on his famous cycle of L’Hourloupe. A major cultural event for the seaside city.
Dinard is preparing to experience a strong moment of its cultural season. This summer, the city will host a significant exhibition dedicated to Jean Dubuffet, a major figure in 20th century French art and founder of the concept of Art Brut. This event is realized in close collaboration with the Dubuffet Foundation, promising a unique dive into the artist’s singular universe.
L’Hourloupe at the heart of the journey
The exhibition is centered around the cycle of L’Hourloupe, a monumental ensemble created between 1962 and 1974. This period represents one of the most productive and recognizable phases of Dubuffet’s career. His labyrinthine lines, interlacing forms, and intentionally limited palette dominated by red, blue, white, and black have shaped a visually distinctive language.
Over a hundred works will be presented at the Palais des Arts et du Festival: drawings, paintings, sculptures, and architectural elements. The collection comes from prestigious sources and showcases the variety of mediums explored by the artist throughout this cycle.
The journey has been designed as a true exploration. The scenography invites visitors to meander among the forms, blurring the boundaries between real space and mental space, between the artwork and its environment. An approach that aligns perfectly with Dubuffet’s creative process, as he constantly challenged traditional aesthetic codes and our way of perceiving the world.
Coucou Bazar, the hybrid work
The exhibition also highlights Coucou Bazar, an experimental project where Dubuffet envisioned an “animated painting.” This unconventional creation blends costumes, sets, music, and movement, straddling the realms of visual arts and live performance.
Through the presentation of original elements and archives, the audience will discover this rare and hybrid work, rarely shown in its entirety. An unique opportunity to grasp the performative dimension of the artist’s work.
An artist in search of freedom
Born in 1901 and deceased in 1985, Jean Dubuffet left a lasting mark on the art world through his rejection of academic conventions. The inventor of the term “Art Brut,” he was fascinated by creations made outside of official artistic circles: works by psychiatric patients, autodidacts, or marginalized individuals.
His own work reflects this pursuit of spontaneity and freedom. L’Hourloupe represents the most spectacular culmination, a universe that is strange, playful, and profoundly original, continuing to challenge contemporary perspectives.
Practical Information
Jean Dubuffet – La Houle du Virtuel
May 31 to September 20, 2026
Palais des Arts et du Festival
2, boulevard Wilson – 35800 Dinard
[Context: Jean Dubuffet was a prominent French artist known for his rejection of traditional aesthetic norms and his exploration of unconventional forms of art, such as Art Brut. The exhibition mentioned in the article focuses on his famous cycle of L’Hourloupe, showcasing a significant collection of his works.]
[Fact Check: The exhibition mentioned in the article will take place in Dinard, France, featuring works by Jean Dubuffet from May 31 to September 20, 2026.]
