and „The Second Sex“

4 March to 16 October 2022

Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) is one of the most important intellectuals of the 20th century and celebrated as an icon of the women’s movement. In 1949, the writer and philosopher published Le deuxième sexe (Engl: The Second Sex), a study in which she examined the situation of women in the Western world. Her brilliant analysis, the treatment of taboo subjects such as sexual initiation, lesbian love or abortion unleashed a wave of criticism and hostility at the time. It was not until later that the study was recognised as the foundational text of women’s and gender studies and as a standard feminist work. «This has always been a man’s world and none of the reasons given to explain it seemed adequate.»Simone de Beauvoir

With Le deuxième sexe, our exhibition is devoted to what is probably Simone de Beauvoir’s most famous work. Since the emancipation of women across the globe remains far from achieved, the book has lost none of its relevance. The exhibition traces the genesis of the work in post-war Paris, when the philosophy of existentialism set new standards, and explores the significance and reception of this ‘bible of feminism’ within the women’s movement.

To the exhibition: Simone de Beauvoir – Bundeskunsthalle Bonn