In an unprecedented move, the Pompidou Center in Paris is hosting a groundbreaking exhibition that delves into the impact and contribution of Black artists to the city from the 1950s through to 2000. This exhibition, titled “Black Paris,” offers visitors an immersive look into the vibrant cultural tapestry of France’s capital, interwoven with the histories of anti-colonial and civil rights movements.
Featuring creations by around 150 prominent artists of African descent, many of these works are being displayed in France for the first time. Scheduled to run from March 19 to June 30, this event is among the museum’s final exhibits before it undergoes a five-year renovation period later this year.
Éva Barois De Caevel, who is the associate curator of the show, emphasized the unique nature of this exhibition, which showcases over 300 paintings and sculptures created by artists from diverse backgrounds. “Some are African Americans, others are Caribbeans, Africans, and Afro-descendants,” she explained. The focus extends beyond geographical roots or racial identity; it centers on a “Black consciousness” that has been molded by the collective history of slavery and shared experiences of racism.
Post World War II, many African American artists, musicians, and intellectuals gravitated towards Paris, drawn by the freedom and acceptance they yearned for, which was lacking in their home country at the time. Barois De Caevel remarked that Paris offered a respite from the racial segregation prevalent in the United States, allowing them to experience social liberties that were otherwise denied.
However, this relationship with Paris was not without complexity. African American writer James Baldwin highlighted that, despite Paris offering some freedoms, racism was still heavily directed towards Black Africans and Algerians, highlighting an underlying ambivalence about the city.
The exhibition also illustrates the influx of African artists from French colonies, and later former colonies, who converged in Paris to join a burgeoning intellectual and political crusade advocating for civil rights and racial justice. This was paralleled by Caribbean artists who supported growing independence movements.
Alicia Knock, also a curator of the exhibition, lauded its ambitious scope, terming it an “incredible epic of decolonization.” She highlighted Paris’s dual role as a “lab for Pan-Africanism” and an “anti-colonial workshop,” underscoring its strategic importance.
Visitors are invited to witness how these artists have influenced and redefined the narratives of modern and postmodern artistic movements. The exhibit showcases how they reinterpreted abstraction and surrealism while fostering Black solidarity.
In addition to being creators, many participating artists served as cultural ambassadors, educators, poets, and philosophers. For some American artists, Paris was perceived as a “gateway to Africa,” as observed from discussions with artists’ families, revealing that many came to Paris with hopes of discovering Africa, only to find it embodied within the city itself.
Moreover, the exhibition includes contributions from four contemporary artists, such as Shuck One, a graffiti and visual artist from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The Pompidou Center has further acquired approximately 40 of the showcased artworks to be preserved as part of its permanent collection.
As the exhibition signals a progressive shift, Knock expressed optimism, seeing it as a starting point for French cultural institutions to engage more deeply with these artists. This milestone is anticipated to spark more dedicated efforts in collecting, studying, and preserving their works while paving the way for numerous solo exhibitions that celebrate these artists’ legacies. “This is just the beginning,” Knock stated, reflecting a hopeful vision for the future engagement of French museums and academic spheres with this rich artistic history.
