ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Miriam Cahn's 'devoir-aimer' exhibition at Galerie Jocelyn Wolff features politically charged art on migration.

exhibition · 2026-04-20

Miriam Cahn's latest solo exhibition, titled 'devoir-aimer' (must-love), took place at Galerie Jocelyn Wolff in Paris from April 29 to June 17. The Swiss artist presented a collection of seven oil paintings alongside various drawings created between 2007 and 2016. Among the highlighted pieces are 'unklar(7.7.16)' (2016), which portrays a nude figure wearing a niqab, and 'winken (19. + 22.5.16)' (2016), showcasing an amputee nude. Cahn's expressionist works reflect themes of vulnerability related to refugees and the European migrant crisis. Additional artworks include 'expressivmüssen (2015 + 1.6.16)' (2015/2016) and 'o.t. (mai 2016)' (2016). The exhibition also featured interactive sketchbooks and a room installation. It was initially reviewed in the September 2017 edition of ArtReview.

Key facts

  • Miriam Cahn's fourth solo show at Galerie Jocelyn Wolff was titled 'devoir-aimer' (must-love)
  • The exhibition ran from 29 April to 17 June in Paris
  • Seven recent oil paintings and drawings in pastel, chalk, and charcoal were displayed
  • Works date from 2007 to 2016, addressing themes of refugees and migration
  • Cahn's art has focused on refugees since the early 1990s, influenced by the Yugoslav Wars
  • The exhibition included a room installation of 22 drawings and two sketchbooks for viewers to leaf through
  • Cahn does not use fixative on her drawings, allowing particles to smear between pages
  • The show was first reviewed in ArtReview's September 2017 issue

Entities

Artists

  • Miriam Cahn

Institutions

  • Galerie Jocelyn Wolff
  • ArtReview

Locations

  • Paris
  • France
  • Switzerland

Sources