Paris Noir - Centre Pompidou, Paris - 19 Mar - 30 Jun 2025

Photo PN

​Black Paris: Reclaiming Modernism Through a Black Lens

Dates & Venue - Centre Pompidou, Paris - March 19 – June 30, 2025
Exhibition Overview
“Black Paris,” formally titled Paris Noir: Artistic Circulations and Anti‑colonial Resistance, 1950–2000, is an ambitious and unprecedented major exhibition at the Pompidou—marking one of its final showcases before a five-year renovation slated for September 2025.
Scale & Reach
Spanning five decades, the exhibit unites over 300 artworks by roughly 150 Black artists from Africa, the Caribbean, and North America—many of whom have never before appeared in French museum collections.
Themes & Significance
More than a historical survey, “Black Paris” is a dynamic exploration of Black consciousness, post-colonial resistance, Pan‑African artistic exchange, and the redefinition of modernism through the eyes of Black creators. It also highlights the ambivalent reality many African‑American intellectuals found in Paris—welcomed yet still facing racial barriers .
Featured Artists & Works
The exhibition showcases a panoply of artists, including Wifredo Lam, Beauford Delaney, Faith Ringgold, Romare Bearden, Gerard Sekoto, Beauford Delaney, Sam Gilliam, Paul Ahyi, Hassan Moura, and Ernest Breleur.
Contemporary Interventions
New site-specific installations by Valérie John, Nathalie Leroy‑Fiévée, Jay Ramier, and a 13‑foot‑long collage installation titled “Regeneration” by street‑artist Shuck One spotlight significant Black historical moments—such as the Tirailleurs Sénégalais and the 1967 Guadeloupe riots—bringing past struggles into dialogue with present artistic practice.
Legacy & Acquisition
The Pompidou has already acquired around 40–50 works from the show—signalling a shift toward permanently integrating these narratives into France’s national art collection and opening doors for future solo exhibitions