The Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro announces a solo exhibition by French architect and artist Odile Decq, titled Beyond the Looking Glass. The exhibition will be open from April 10 to June 8, 2025, at the Petrović Castle and the Petrović Park in Kruševac. The exhibition is curated by Blanka Marković.

This solo exhibition marks Odile Decq’s first presentation in Montenegro, showcasing works created throughout her distinguished career. The exhibition pays homage to her free thinking spirit and uncompromising, multidisciplinary approach to architecture, design, and contemporary art. The display will encompass all aspects of her creative work—from architectural projects and industrial design to contemporary artistic practices.

Specially designed and unique elements of the exhibition will include an in situ spatial installation in the Kruševac Park and a sculpture inside the Petrović Castle, both created exclusively for the exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro.

As part of the exhibition program, Odile Decq will hold a lecture, and a catalog accompanying the exhibition will be promoted.

Odile Decq is one of the most prominent figures in contemporary architecture. Her studio, founded in 1978, has gained international recognition for its visionary approach, blending architecture, design, art, and urbanism. She is known for her bold style, distinctive geometries, and innovation across all fields of her work.

She first gained international acclaim in 1990 with her major project, the Banque Populaire de l’Ouest in Rennes, which earned ten national and international awards. Her work is often associated with a free thinking spirit and a challenge to established conventions.

Among her most significant architectural projects are the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome (MACRO), the headquarters of GL Events in Lyon, the FRAC Bretagne in Rennes, the Archaeological Museum in Tangshan (China), and the Cargo startup incubator in Paris. She is also the author of the Le Twist business building in Paris, several private residences regarded as works of art, and the luxury residential tower Antares in Barcelona.

Beyond architecture, Decq has been active in the field of design since the early 2000s, creating furniture and lighting in collaboration with brands such as Luceplan and Alessi. Her passion for contemporary art has led to numerous exhibitions, including projects for Galerie Polaris in Paris, Galerie ONIRIS in Rennes, Design Miami Art Basel and FIAC with Galerie Philippe Gravier.

Her installations have been featured in prestigious events, including Artistspace Gallery in New York (2004), Sci Arc in Los Angeles,  (2011), the Venice Architecture Biennale (from 1992 to 2018) and Fuorisalone in Milan (2023). She also participated in the 100 Architects of the Year exhibition in Seoul in 2024.

She has received numerous awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale (1996), the Jane Drew Award for creativity and gender equality in architecture (2016), the Architizer A+ Lifetime Achievement Award (2017), and the Mario Pani Medal of Merit in Mexico (2023). She holds prestigious titles such as Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and Commandeur de l’Ordre du Mérite in France, Doctor Honoris Causa in Qubec Univerité Laval (2019).

Decq has had a significant academic career, teaching at universities worldwide. In 2014, she founded the Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture—an innovative architecture school in Paris accredited by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Her work, which continuously pushes the boundaries of architecture, design, and art, will now be presented to the Montenegrin public for the first time through this exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro.

The project is supported by OKOV, Feal, The Petrović Njegoš Foundation, and the University of Montenegro.