SAX shows "Empreintes" in the salons of the Fondation Eugène Napoléon

"Empreintes" (imprints), a show by French street artist SAX, runs from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 at the Fondation Eugène Napoléon, in the 12th arrondissement, a few minutes from Nation. Entry is free and you do not need to book. It is presented by Galerie Roussard, the gallery behind L'Expo des 150 street art show at Denfert.

SAX, whose real name is Henry Blache, comes from the Drôme in southern France. He paints animals, big cats, wolves, rhinos, that emerge from splashes of colour: spray paint, acrylic, ink, watercolour. Since 2023 he has also made large temporary works outdoors with natural materials.

According to Sortiraparis, which announced the show, you will see around sixty paintings, photographs of his land art, limited-edition prints and an outdoor photo trail, spread across 19th-century salons, the entrance hall of the chapel and a room upstairs. In the inner garden, a temporary piece in biodegradable materials is planned around the statue; the upstairs balcony is said to be the best viewpoint.

The building is half the reason to go. The foundation began with a refused gift: in 1853 Eugénie de Montijo, about to marry Napoleon III, turned down a diamond necklace from the City of Paris and asked for the money to fund a school for poor girls. The building, by architect Hittorff, opened in 1856. It still houses schools, and normally you only see the garden on the street side.

Public vernissage (opening night) on Thursday 29 October, 6pm–10pm, with the artist. Then Friday 30, 11am–8pm; Saturday 31, 11am–9pm; Sunday 1 November, 11am–8pm. Enter through the garden at 2 rue de Picpus. Metro Nation (lines 1, 2, 6, 9) or RER A.