From May 27th to August 30th, 2026, Grande Halle de La Villette hosts BEYOND THE STREETS, the internationally acclaimed graffiti exhibition dedicated to street art and contemporary counterculture. Spanning more than 3,600 square metres, the Paris edition gathers over 100 artists through monumental installations, archival material, music, fashion, and large-scale works that trace graffiti’s journey from subway tunnels to the centre of contemporary culture.
Conceived by curator Roger Gastman, the exhibition follows graffiti’s rise from outlaw markings and underground crews to a visual language that continues to shape art, music, activism, and fashion worldwide.
A monumental journey through graffiti culture and contemporary counterculture
The exhibition moves like a feverish passage through decades of urban culture. Visitors drift between immersive environments including Cosmic Cavern, History of Spray Paint, Tags of Paris, Hip-Hop Snapshots, and Vandal’s Bedroom, where archival objects, murals, customised garments, records, posters, and reconstructed interiors collide in dense visual layers.
Featured artists include graffiti pioneers and contemporary voices such as FUTURA 2000, Shepard Fairey, Lady Pink, Invader, André Saraiva, Felipe Pantone, Vhils, Kenny Scharf, and many others. The Paris edition also pays tribute to the city’s own graffiti history and its enduring cultural influence.
Among the highlights is Kenny Scharf’s fluorescent Cosmic Cavern, alongside Tim Conlon’s Freight Train, Paul Insect’s Marionette Workshop, rare Beastie Boys archives, and installations exploring the deep ties between graffiti, rap, and street fashion.
From street walls to fashion archives
BEYOND THE STREETS also examines how graffiti seeped into luxury fashion, graphic design, branding, and music culture. Rare garments, customised pieces, and hip-hop memorabilia appear throughout the exhibition, including references to legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan and the legacy of French rap culture.
The exhibition’s retail concept was conceived by Sarah Andelman, co-founder of Colette, who curated a concept store filled with exclusive collaborations, collectible objects, books, posters, and limited-edition fashion pieces created specifically for Paris.
Photography by TIM CRAIG
