Extraterrestrial Exhibition: when contemporary art meets space in Paris

Do aliens remind you more of E.T. or of Alien? And what if we ditch those old clichés and look at extraterrestrials with a fresh perspective? That’s the idea behind the CNES Space Observatory, with its offbeat, never-before-seen contemporary art salon.

The Extraterrestrial Salon gathers 22 artists at the FORMA Exhibition Center in the Marais, from September 25 to 27, 2026. This free new art showcase invites us to explore and redefine the figure of the extraterrestrial, shedding the clichés that abound in the media, on social networks, and in popular culture. The Observatory aims to cultivate a fresh vision of space and of those who could inhabit it.

The journey through the salon is divided into five themes. Step by step, visitors can question this figure of the supremely powerful and ultra-intelligent alien, capable of solving Earth's problems. The artists also challenge otherness, that other, the unknown that might resemble us... Or not at all. The salon pays tribute to the heroes, to the astronauts who might meet these different beings, but also to the figures in the shadows, the everyday workers who contribute to the study of space.

The salon also touches on the spiritual—the beliefs linked to Space, those that could cross the frontiers of the stars and perhaps exist elsewhere, unseen by us. Finally, the artists drew inspiration from eternity, that boundless realm where time and our sense of space shift in profound ways. These are rich themes, each artist free to interpret them in their own voice.

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L'Observatoire de l'Espace is a cultural laboratory of CNES, France's national center for space studies. Through this organization, CNES aims to explore and forge new links between the world of science and space, the arts, and human societies.

Of course, the fair offers no truly scientific image of beings from elsewhere. Their existence and appearance are left to our imagination... for now. This artistic journey invites us to reassess our view of extraterrestrials and the symbols they may embody in today’s society.

Space enthusiasts, treat yourself to this exciting journey where art meets the world of science. Admission to the exhibition is free—seize this tip to discover emerging talents in contemporary art!