In the collective imagination, the Chat Noir remains an unparalleled meeting place, bursting with innovation and improvisation in Paris. Opened in 1881, this literary and artistic cabaret serves as a haven for artists from Montmartre and beyond, offering them a space for expression in a vibrant atmosphere that truly reflects the spirit of the time. Although the establishment closed its doors early in 1896, just fifteen short years later, its spirit of freedom continues to resonate through the ages: it infuses the historical review of the Chat Noir, reprinted since 2018, and the third edition of the EXPO des 150, which you can visit until March 30th.
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Both an exhibition and an open stage
« I thought I was going to see an exhibition », confides the curator, RosLucie, on the day of the opening. She is delighted: «This is exactly the element of surprise we wanted to create ». Surprise, because indeed, in addition to not suspecting the vastness of the journey, spread over two floors and about 3,000 m², the Cabaret du Chat Noir has opted for a unique format to celebrate street art in its own way.
Hidden away in a former brutalist telephone exchange in the 9th arrondissement, the EXPO des 150 gathers a large number of contemporary artists – some invited, others having applied – to exhibit, sell, and also produce on site. During our visit, for example, the visual artist Lé...Dieleman finishes his new tondo before our intrigued eyes, then paints on a large wooden board, an improvised canvas that he has been sharing since the day before with other colleagues. For young artists like him, it’s a “ fabulous ” opportunity that combines “ gallery, studio and meeting place » ” with the public, he explains joyfully before getting back to work.
© Flora Gendrault - Le Bonbon
Protean Works
The entrance is free and open, allowing for a spacious stroll with almost no signage, themes, or timelines. This curation choice might feel a bit unsettling, but the key is to let yourself be suspended in the experience: there’s no red thread, except for street art. And even that is only partially true! While 80% of the works lean in this direction, you'll also discover photographs and an impressive composition of fabric books halfway through the journey.
For the rest, there's a multitude of artists identifiable by their stage names or Instagram accounts presenting their work. Murals, graffiti, stencil painting, collage, trompe-l'œil, urban knitting, flacking, mosaics: countless works are there to be examined, each bursting with vibrant colors and stunning techniques.
It's lit by the natural light of the warehouse. For the third edition of its exhibition, the Chat Noir cabaret has truly chosen the perfect venue, with its impressive size allowing for a bar, a music stage, and DJ sets. It's enough to keep the festivities going until March 30th. Just one regret: two weeks is too short!
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The 150 Exhibition - Cabaret du Chat Noir
17, rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière – 9th
Daily, from 10 AM to 9 PM
Until March 30, 2025
Free Entry
More info and reservation (required)