'Sometimes the movie knows you better than you know yourself, and you reveal your point of view about the world without ever even intending to.' - Wes Anderson

An archive is always a time-machine, but the archives of Wes Anderson take us on a journey not just through time, but through layers of stories and the experiences of storytelling - on paper and on film. This book is dedicated to these stories and celebrates Anderson's over 30 years in cinema.

From the start of his career, Anderson has maintained a rich library of notebooks, drawings, paintings, polaroids, props, puppets, sets, and costumes from his films. The objects shown here are enhanced and illuminated by Anderson's long-time collaborators: Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton; composer Alexandre Desplat; musician Seu Jorge; and music supervisor Randall Poster. Also included: an extensive interview with Anderson himself, reflecting on his films and working process.

Wes Anderson: The Archives accompanies the first retrospective exhibition of Anderson's work, curated by la Cinémathèque française in Paris and the Design Museum in London in partnership with Wes Anderson

Edited by Johanna Agerman Ross, Matthieu Orléan and Lucia Savi.

Details

ISBN13: 9781872005843
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 296
Edition:
Publication Date: 23 Feb 2026
Publisher: Design Museum
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 27(H)x21(L)x2(W)
Weight (gm):

Author Biography

Johanna Agerman Ross is the Conran Foundation Chief Curator at the Design Museum in London where she looks after the museum's programme of exhibitions. She was previously curator of twentieth century and contemporary furniture and product design at the V&A. In 2011 she founded the international design journal Disegno.

Matthieu Orléan is an artistic collaborator at La Cinémathèque française. He is the curator of exhibitions such as: ¡Almodóvar Exhibition! (2006), Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood (2008), The Enchanted World of Jacques Demy (2013), Gus Van Sant Icons (2016).

Dr Lucia Savi is the Head of Curatorial and Interpretation at the Design Museum. She curated the V&A exhibition "Bags: Inside Out" (2020) and authored its catalogue. Savi has contributed to several exhibitions and publications. Her latest academic monograph, A New History of Made in Italy, Fashion and Textiles in Post War Italy, was published by Bloomsbury in 2023.

Includes contributions from Glenn Adamson, Lanre Bakare, Frédéric Bonnaud, Hadeel Eltayeb, Stéphane Lerouge, Vincent Malausa, Charlene Prempeh, Tim Marlow, Richard Round-Turner, Nicolas Saada, Leanne Shapton, Isabel Stevens.

Reviews

God may or may not be in the details, but Anderson and his movies definitely are. He has an eye for detail so thorough and exacting -- so unblinking -- it becomes a sensibility.--Mark Feeney "The Boston Globe"
Fans of Wes Anderson will delight in the Design Museum's upcoming show: the first retrospective of the Texan auteur, conceived in collaboration with la Cine?mathe?que franc?aise.--Daisy Woodward "AnOther Magazine"
The show is an in-depth ode to hands-on filmmaking, and a welcome antidote to our CGI and AI age.--Emily Steer "Wallpaper*"
These artifacts all together illuminate Anderson's devotion to detail and design, and show how his handmade sensibility and visual precision have shaped a whimsical and deeply human cinematic universe.--Kat Barandy "designboom"
[An] intimate look at some of the papers and props from some of our favorite films, shedding light on the process and the man behind the lens.--Aria Lee "Design Milk"
[The exhibition] shows how thousands of small decisions add up to make the director's signature style.--Alex Marshall "The New York Times"
With access to Anderson's personal archives, the show's curators have picked out more than 600 items--including costumes, props, personal notes, and paintings--that offer an unprecedented, behind the scenes glimpse into his creative process.--Jo Lawson-Tancred "Artnet"
The exhibition journeys through all of the films, every one unique, yet together entirely cohesive and notably 'Wes'.--Tianna Williams "Wallpaper*"