A hedgehog-shaped toy on wheels, crafted in Susa three thousand five hundred years ago. A pink resin figure by Philippe Katerine. A Labubu painted in oil. Nearly three hundred works, and a question that museums rarely ask: why do certain images make us feel good?

The Louvre-Lens takes cuteness seriously, and approaches it through history. Pink hasn't always existed as a color: it had to be invented, then given a genre. Animals traverse millennia without losing any of their power. Japanese kawaii, on the other hand, conquered the planet in two generations.

Nicolas Poussin, Chardin and Renoir are displayed alongside Tamara de Lempicka, Cindy Sherman, Pierre et Gilles, Annette Messager and Takashi Murakami. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, objects, films and books, from Antiquity to 2025.

What makes the exhibition interesting is that it rejects a saccharine version of its subject. Emotional appeal sells, consoles, and governs: this aesthetic also serves as a vehicle for consumption and propaganda, and the exhibition demonstrates this without sacrificing its gentleness.

The curatorial role is shared between Annabelle Ténèze, director of the Louvre-Lens, and Émilie Girard, director of the Strasbourg museums and president of ICOM France. The exhibition is produced in partnership with the museums of the City of Strasbourg, with scenography by Mathis Boucher.

If the North inspires you, our exhibitions to see in the regions and the North section provide further details.

LOUVRE-LENS
From September 23, 2026 to January 18, 2027
99 rue Paul Bert, 62300 Lens
Every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, except Tuesdays
Full price €12 / 18-25 years €6 / Free for under 18s