Sheila Hicks Becomes First Woman Artist to Occupy Lille Palais des Beaux-Arts Atrium

Sheila Hicks, a pioneer of textile art, has been granted carte blanche at the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, becoming the first woman artist to occupy its atrium. The American artist, who has lived in Paris since 1964, treats fiber as a full sculptural material: thread is rolled, swollen and stacked into masses of color that resist categorization. For this in-situ installation, she responds to the building's architecture and to the long textile history of Lille and the Nord region. The exhibition, titled "Au-delà," runs from 9 October 2026 to 8 March 2027 at Place de la République, 59000 Lille, reachable via M° République-Beaux-Arts (line 1). The museum is open Monday 14h-18h and Wednesday to Sunday 10h-18h, closed Tuesday. Admission is 7 €, reduced 4 €, with the atrium installation free to access. The display extends into the heart of the collections, where her works play, according to the museum, "between weightlessness and sensuality."