Kerry James Marshall's 'The Histories' Opens at Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris in 2026
Marshall elevates Black everyday life to history painting in his first French retrospective, The Histories, at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris (18 Sept 2026–24 Jan 2027). Seventy works include eight new pieces created for Paris. Born in Birmingham in 1955 and raised in Watts, he witnessed the 1965 riots. His paintings blend 19th-century French art, Afrofuturism, and science fiction, with echoes of Manet, Caillebotte, and Seurat. School of Beauty, School of Culture shows Chicago hairdressers; Garden Project translates the Grande Jatte into housing-project gardens. Without depicting violence directly, he references the slave trade, slavery, civil rights, and Black Power. His signature matte black uses pigments with no white. He also creates drawings, prints, and sculpture. Tickets: €17 (reduced €15, free under 18).
Key facts
- The exhibition 'Kerry James Marshall. The Histories' takes place at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris.
- It is the artist's first French retrospective.
- Seventy works are shown, including eight new pieces created for Paris.
- Marshall was born in Birmingham in 1955 and raised in Watts.
- He witnessed the 1965 riots.
- His work references Manet, Caillebotte, and Seurat.
- The exhibition runs from September 18, 2026 to January 24, 2027.
- Tickets cost €17, with a reduced rate of €15 and free entry for under-18s.
Entities
Artists
- Kerry James Marshall
- Édouard Manet
- Gustave Caillebotte
- Georges Seurat
Institutions
- Musée d'Art moderne de Paris
Locations
- Paris, France
- Birmingham, United States
- Watts, Los Angeles, United States
- Chicago, United States
- 11 avenue du Président-Wilson, 75116 Paris, France