Pharrell Williams Curates Paris Art Exhibition Honoring Black Women

Music producer, designer, and creative visionary Pharrell Williams is shining a spotlight on Black womanhood through a new art exhibition in Paris. Titled “FEMMES,” the show is a tribute to Black women, celebrating their creativity, identity, and resilience through a diverse range of artworks.

The exhibition, currently on view at Perrotin Paris until April 19, features works from 39 artists, primarily women, and spans painting, sculpture, photography, screen prints, and textiles. According to Williams, the exhibit is a personal homage to the Black women who have shaped his life and career.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for a Black woman,” Williams said in an interview with Wallpaper.

A Collaborative Effort to Celebrate Black Creativity

“FEMMES” marks the latest collaboration between Williams and renowned French gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin. The pair previously worked together on the 2008 design exhibition Perspectives and the 2014 group show G I R L, which highlighted women artists.

This latest exhibition aims to go further. “When we considered doing the show again, we remembered how much impact it had,” Williams said. “This time, we wanted to focus even more — to create an homage to Black women.”

The exhibition brings together an intergenerational and international lineup of acclaimed and emerging artists. Featured names include Carrie Mae Weems, Betye Saar, Zanele Muholi, Esther Mahlangu, and Nina Chanel Abney.

Diverse Works and Powerful Themes

The curated collection explores themes of motherhood, self-expression, identity, and Black womanhood. The artworks range from bold paintings by Tschabalala Self, Theresa Chromati, and Kathia St. Hilaire to sculptures by Kapwani Kiwanga, Kennedy Yanko, and Chiffon Thomas.

Textile art is also a key part of the exhibition, reflecting Williams’ connection to fashion and design as Louis Vuitton’s menswear director. Artists like Georgina Maxim and Tandiwe Muriu use fabric and African textiles to tell new stories, while Katia St. Hilaire’s tapestries reimagine Haitian history.

Photography features prominently too, with impactful works from celebrated artists such as Zanele Muholi, Carrie Mae Weems, and Leslie Hewitt.

Perrotin praised Williams’ approach to curating, noting that the musician’s selections broadened his own perspective. “He has a very open mind to the art world. His list surprised me — many of the artists were unknown to me,” Perrotin said. “That’s why curators matter, to open the prism.”

More Than an Exhibition

At the opening of the show on March 20, Williams described FEMMES as more than just an art display — but an experience, an installation that gives space to Black creativity. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to, as he put it, “give reverence to Black thought and estrogen.”

“FEMMES” is open to the public at Perrotin Paris until April 19.