Julius von Bismarck
Simulacres: When Art Blurs the Lines Between Fiction and Reality
Magasins Généraux, Paris, France
Jun 25 – Sep 27, 2026
Opening: Jun 24, 6-9pm

The exhibition explores the many ways in which artists blur the boundaries between reality and appearance. From traditional craft techniques to the most advanced technologies, it highlights the strategies of mimicry, illusion and simulation that run through the recent history of artistic creation. From hyperrealism and perceptual games to digital simulacra and even images generated by artificial intelligence, the aim is to question our ability to distinguish the real from the fake. Between fascination, vertigo and critique, “simulacra” thus deciphers the shifts in perception at a time when images are becoming increasingly indistinguishable, when the false and the illusory are no longer the exception but a norm to be understood, outwitted or sublimated.

Curated by Anna Labouze & Keimis Henni

Exhibited artists: Pauline Bastard, Laura Bottereau & Marine Fiquet, Alice Brygo, Julian Charrière, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Sarah-Anaïs Desbenoit, Marine Ducroux-Gazio, Lou Fauroux, Mayara Ferrão, Ryan Gander, Dhewadi Hadjab, Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst, Ann Veronica Janssens, Tony Matelli, Maria Mavropoulou, Iván Navarro, Bill Posters, Arinze Stanley, Julius von Bismarck.

Photo: Julius von Bismarck, Zwei Wölfinnen, installation view Esther Schipper, Berlin. Photo: Andrea Rosetti, 2024.