Gina Pane: A Hot Afternoon

In autumn 2026, the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris presents an exhibition centred on A Hot Afternoon (1977), a recent acquisition by Gina Pane, one of the leading figures of body art. Of Italian origin and trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Pane develops performances she calls “actions”, which generate visual compositions known as “constatations”. Comprising 29 elements, including 19 photographs and 10 preparatory drawings with texts, A Hot Afternoon documents an action conceived for Documenta 6 in Kassel.

Structured around themes central to Pane’s practice—including wounds, the body, childhood and the social and cultural constraints placed on women—the work reflects on artistic expression and the ways in which performance can be staged and examined. It is among Pane’s most accomplished performances and one of her final works in body art.

Presented in dialogue with A Hot Afternoon and archives donated by the artist’s estate, works from the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris collection establish visual and symbolic connections with Pane’s work. Contributions by students further place the exhibition in a contemporary context. The programme includes student performances on 19 October and 25 November, as well as an evening dedicated to Pane in December.