Bringing together nearly 40 artists, the exhibition explores identity, legacy, and the power of Black creativity across generations.
Gaëlle Choisne, Digital Venus for digital dreams #2, 2021. Noisetier, découpe CNC, caisse impression sur bois. Caisse: 70 x 64 x 47 cm Figurine: 35 x 13 x 18,2 cm. Édition unique dans une série de 3. Photo: ©Marc Domage. Courtesy Air de Paris, Romainville | Grand Paris.
Perrotin presents ‘FEMMES’, a group exhibition curated by Pharrell Williams, showcasing nearly 40 artists. The exhibition aims to spotlight these luminaries while advocating for greater visibility and equity—inviting everyone in. From ‘G I R L’ in 2014 to ‘FEMMES’ today, the title is now plural and translated into French, emphasising the multifaceted nature of Black womanhood.
Pharrell Williams and Emmanuel Perrotin have shared a creative bond since first meeting in 2007 in Miami, where they connected over their mutual admiration for the Japanese art scene led by Takashi Murakami. Expressions of respect and brotherhood between the two are frequent, each recognizing the other’s enduring influence and contributions to contemporary art and culture. Pharrell admires Emmanuel’s taste, entrepreneurial spirit, and forward-thinking vision, while Emmanuel commends Pharrell’s multifaceted creativity, dedication to family, and generosity as a friend.
Pharrell’s reverence for the women who have shaped his life—his wife, mothers, sisters, daughters, friends, and muses—inspires their latest collaboration, ‘FEMMES’. Curated by Pharrell Williams and hosted by Emmanuel Perrotin’s Parisian gallery, the exhibition builds on their past endeavors, including the 2008 design exhibition ‘Perspectives’, which introduced Pharrell to Perrotin’s world and sparked artistic dialogues with Takashi Murakami, Laurent Grasso, Sophie Calle, and Daniel Arsham. It also follows the success of the 2014 group show ‘G I R L’, inspired by Pharrell’s eponymous album.
Since Black women have been central figures in Pharrell’s personal inspirations, their kaleidoscopic representation forms the foundation of ‘FEMMES’. At its core, the exhibition highlights artists of African descent across generations. Perrotin’s roster—including Leslie Hewitt, Alex Gardner, Tavares Strachan, Chiffon Thomas, Katia St. Hilaire, and Nina Chanel Abney—joins an expansive assembly of talent representing over fifteen galleries.
‘FEMMES’ reflects Pharrell’s eclectic taste and unique aesthetic, weaving together influences from diverse creative spheres. The exhibition pays homage to the pioneering work of African American art icons Betye Saar and Carrie Mae Weems, alongside revered African matriarchs Seyni Awa Camara and Esther Mahlangu. Exploring textile art—traditionally associated with women’s labor and historically marginalized in art history—the show highlights intricate narratives embedded in fabric, fiber, and thread.
As Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director, Pharrell offers a glimpse into his atelier’s visual repertoire, featuring works by Georgina Maxim, Kenia Almaraz Murillo, Kapwani Kiwanga, Katia St. Hilaire, and Tandiwe Muriu. Themes of motherhood and lineage emerge in pieces by Emma Prempeh, Mequitta Ahuja, and Joana Choumali, while Todd Gray explores inheritance—both material and spiritual. The evocative power of shadows is also channeled through Naomi Lulendo, Cinga Samson, and Gabriel Moses.
Naturally, pop culture and its visual languages—deeply rooted in both Pharrell and Perrotin’s DNA—hold a prominent place in ‘FEMMES’. This is evident in the works of Lauren Kelley and Nina Chanel Abney, extending into the conceptual realm through artists such as Mickalene Thomas, Leslie Hewitt, Glenn Ligon, Gaëlle Choisne, and Tschabalala Self. Black portraiture, now firmly established in contemporary visual culture, has a significant presence, with artists such as Prince Gyasi, Zanele Muholi, Kenturah Davis, Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe, Reggie Burrows Hodges, Robert Pruitt, Henry Taylor, and Zéh Palito exploring the representation of Black bodies, individual identities, and their evolving narratives.
Additionally, ‘FEMMES’ embraces archival practices, with Malala Andrialavidrazana and Jess Atieno engaging with history, memory, and layered narratives intertwined within visual records. The exhibition also celebrates boundary-pushing creativity and extraordinary forms, featuring works by Eden Tinto Collins, Theresa Chromati, and Kennedy Yanko, who redefine materiality and abstraction through innovative approaches.
At its heart, ‘FEMMES’ is an anthem, leading the marching band of Black joy by creating space for ongoing and future cultural shifts. It is a celebration—a call to honor the artists, these Soldiers of Love, who transform the world through the power of their hands. With an unwavering commitment to art in all its forms, the curator-gallerist duo invites us on a journey into a constellation of brilliance—an ever-expanding creative ecosystem where humanity takes center stage.
This text is adapted from writing by Louise Thurin, author and curator.
The exhibition will be on view from the 20th of March until the 19th of April, 2025. For more information, please visit Perrotin.
