The exhibition Paris Noir will be a major cultural event in 2025. From March 19 to June 30, the Pompidou center is highlighting an often overlooked dimension of artistic history: the influence of Afro-descendant artists in Paris between 1950 and 2000. Nearly 400 works and documents showcase the work of 150 artists from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean, some of whom have never before been exhibited in France. This retrospective highlights the role of the French capital as a place of resistance and transformation for contemporary artistic currents.
A historiographical challenge met
The exhibition Paris Noir undertakes the task of documenting and presenting an often marginalized artistic history. From the creation of the magazine Présence Africaine in 1947 to the distribution of Revue Noire in the 1990s, it traces half a century of expression and affirmation in Paris. In the face of scattered works and gaps in research, this initiative is an essential memorial contribution.
This chronological journey coincides with major historical events: African independence, the fall of apartheid in South Africa and the struggle for civil rights. The Paris Noir exhibition links these political contexts with artistic creation, highlighting the role of art as an instrument of resistance and identity affirmation.
Paris, refuge and creative crossroads
For artists such as Gerard Sekoto, whose self-portrait marks the entrance to the exhibition, or Beauford Delaney and his abstract compositions, Paris was a refuge from segregation, apartheid and political censorship. The city became a unique space for artistic and intellectual interaction, fostering encounters between creators from different horizons.
The diversity of practices, ranging from identity awareness to the search for new plastic expressions, bears witness to this dynamic. Paris Noir highlights how these artists have enriched artistic currents and opened up new aesthetic perspectives.
From anti-colonialism to artistic affirmation
The title Paris Noir reveals a central political dimension. The exhibition places the works in the context of anti-colonial and post-colonial struggles. From the magazine African presence to the Revue Noires show how these publications contributed to the recognition of Afro-descendant artists.
The archives, photographs and films on display illustrate how art has served as a means of expression in societies marked by colonial legacies.
Exceptional creative diversity
The exhibition highlights emblematic figures such as Wifredo Lam and Roseman Robinot, as well as lesser-known artists such as Christian Lattier and Guido Llinas. It reveals paths and influences that are still little explored in France.
The majority of the works on display have never before been shown in the country. Drawn from public and private collections, they have been brought together thanks to in-depth research. Paris Noir offers a fresh look at the contributions of Afro-descendant artists to modern art.
A scenography at the service of memory
The exhibition revolves around a central installation representing the Black Atlantic, evoking transatlantic cultural circulations and interactions. This space puts into perspective how Paris became a place of convergence for these artists.
Contemporary installations by Valérie John, Nathalie Leroy Fiévee, Jay Ramier and Shuck One enrich the itinerary and resonate with the themes addressed.
A Parisian base
The exhibition unfolds a never-before-seen cartography of Paris, highlighting the places that saw the birth of this artistic effervescence. Montparnasse, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Goutte d’Or emerge as spaces of creation and interaction.
A historical and cultural impact
Paris Noir highlights the French capital’s role as a pan-African laboratory for artistic expression. Institutions such as the École des Beaux-Arts contributed to the recognition of African, American and Caribbean artists, who participated in the redefinition of modernism and postmodernism.
The exhibition focuses on art as a form of resistance to postcolonial realities. It features committed works that bear witness to the struggle for independence and against racial discrimination.
A Paris-wide event
A number of Parisian galleries will be presenting exhibitions in connection with Paris Noir. Among them, Galerie Clémentine de la Féronnière will present works by George Hallett, William Melvin Kelley and James Barnor from March 19 to May 17, 2025. Galerie Hauser & Wirth will be showing collages by Frank Bowling until May 25.
L’Archipel cinema, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie and other institutions will be organizing film screenings and meetings with art historians and critics.
Practical information
The exhibition Paris Noir will be held at the Pompidou center from March 19 to June 30, 2025, from 11am to 9pm, except Tuesdays and May 1st. Tickets are available online or on site, with reduced rates for certain audiences. Guided tours and audio guides are also available.
