Tinguely Jean 1961

This compelling 1961 original exhibition poster was created by Olson Lennart for Jean Tinguely’s show at the Centre National d’Art Contemporain in Paris. Far from a conventional design, this poster reflects the spontaneous energy and absurdist playfulness that defined Tinguely’s kinetic art.

At the heart of the composition is a striking black-and-white photograph of a woman, elegantly dressed in heels and a hat, laughing with exuberance as she interacts with one of Tinguely’s mechanical contraptions. A young boy stands beside the device, wide-eyed. Below, the artist’s name “Tinguely” is hand-lettered in bold script, surrounded by a collage-like arrangement of handwritten details about the exhibition.

This poster perfectly captures the spirit of Nouveau Réalisme, of which Tinguely was a leading figure—celebrating movement, public interaction, and the irreverent joy of machine art. The photograph itself is emblematic: machines aren’t distant or cold—they’re performative, humorous, and human.

A rare and culturally rich piece, this poster marks an important early 1960s moment in avant-garde art history, when Paris was buzzing with radical new ideas, and artists like Tinguely were transforming how we experience sculpture and technology.

Sculpture - Dada

National Center for Contemporary art

Good condition, folds