Charlotte Perriand. Living Modernism: Design, Photography, Architecture

With Charlotte Perriand. Living Modernism: Design, Photography, Architecture the Museum der Moderne Salzburg dedicates the first major retrospective in Austria to the French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand. The exhibition covers both her work in architecture and design and her output as a photographer.

In the Shadow of Le Corbusier 

After ten years the up-and-coming young architect and furniture designer Perriand left Le Corbusier’s studio. She had been responsible for numerous furniture and interior design projects, many of which are now considered icons of modern design and highly sought after by collectors. Around the same time, she branched out into photography; photographs both served her as a source of inspiration and became an element in their own right in selected furniture designs.

A Pioneer of Modernism

From the outset, Perriand’s thinking was holistic: she fused architecture, design, and photography in a comprehensive vision of lived-environments. Her works were never intended as autonomous objects, but rather as integral components of larger ensembles. This makes Perriand one of the most influential figures in the history of twentieth-century architecture and design.

The exhibition is accompanied by an audio format in which Charlotte Perriand offers insights into her thinking on architecture, design, and the future through a fictional interview. The audio can be accessed via QR code at the stations marked with a circle throughout the exhibition.


Exhibition organized by Kunstmuseen Krefeld in collaboration with Museum der Moderne Salzburg and Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona.

In close consultation with Pernette Perriand-Barsac and Jacques Barsac of the Archives Charlotte Perriand.

Sponsored by: Salzburger Tourismus Förderungs Fonds and Institut français d’Autriche. Cassina is the museum’s premium partner for the exhibition.

A publication will be released in conjunction with the exhibition.