Sea, Pop & Sun

Catalogue of the exhibition Sea, Pop & Sun, presented at the Fondation Carmignac, Porquerolles (25 April 2026 – 1 November 2026).

An immersive journey through the Mediterranean landscape of the island of Porquerolles, revisiting the legacy of 1960s–1970s Pop Art and its influence on contemporary art.

Curated by Anna Karina Hofbauer and Dieter Buchhart, the exhibition unfolds – against a backdrop of sun, sea and a longing to escape – a seaside fantasy in which the radiant hedonism of the Côte d’Azur is set against its own artifice and mirages.
‘Sea, Pop & Sun’ pays tribute to the rebellious spirit and energy of the 1960s and 1970s and explores the fantasy of a seaside getaway filled with sunshine, waves and freedom. The exhibition plays on the tensions between nature and culture, seaside scenery and mass culture, pleasure and disillusionment, presenting a paradise that is both radiant and fragile, where the intoxicating power of the images also reveals the construction of our desires.

At the heart of the exhibition lies a collection of iconic works by leading figures in Pop Art, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Martial Raysse, Niki de Saint Phalle, Evelyne Axell, Tom Wesselmann, Richard Hamilton, James Rosenquist and Alex Katz. These artists engage in a dialogue with contemporary creators – such as Jeff Koons, Duane Hanson, Olafur Eliasson, Derrick Adams, Martin Parr, Tschabalala Self and Cosima von Bonin – who expand upon and reinterpret Pop Art’s themes regarding representations of the body, leisure, consumerism and globalised visual culture.

The exhibition is organised into major thematic clusters that showcase the key motifs of ‘Sea, Pop & Sun’: the sun and its light, pop icons, seaside leisure, weekends by the sea, paradise under threat, and the ‘sea of desire’. From the figure of the bather on a beach saturated with symbols, to screen-printed sunsets and pool scenes, from monumental sculpture to photographic collage and video, the exhibition offers an immersive, sensual and critical experience, enriched by the proximity of the sea and the atmosphere of the gardens of Porquerolles.

The catalogue, co-published by Éditions Dilecta and the Carmignac Foundation, will serve as a comprehensive guide to the exhibition, featuring images from the show whilst offering an in-depth critical exploration of its theme – at the intersection of the history of Pop Art, visual studies and contemporary issues – as well as a number of essays to help visitors delve deeper into the most iconic works on display.