Henry Taylor

From 8 April to 6 September 2026, the Musée national Picasso-Paris will present the first major retrospective in France devoted to Henry Taylor, a key figure in contemporary American painting. Designed in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition is part of a series exploring Picasso's influence on the American art scene, following Faith Ringgold, Pollock and Philip Guston. Spread over two floors and thirteen rooms, more than 100 works — paintings, sculptures, installations and painted objects — trace Taylor's unique career and his sensitive view of American society.

A vibrant fresco of Black America

Henry Taylor depicts the human condition with unique expressive power. His portraits of friends, loved ones, anonymous individuals and public figures compose a powerful visual narrative, revealing the intimacy, individual trajectories and collective histories of African American communities. Inspired by the works of David Hammons, Philip Guston and Picasso, Taylor blends everyday life, shared memories and social engagement. Each canvas becomes a meeting place between the intimate and the political, sketching the often invisible realities of contemporary America.

A total immersion in the world of a major artist

This retrospective offers a captivating dive into the heart of a prolific body of work: diverse formats, colour schemes, narrative installations… Taylor reveals a deeply human approach to portraiture, inherited from his experience as a psychiatric nurse and his constant attention to individual stories. Already acclaimed by major institutions such as the **Whitney Museum of American Art **and MoMA, he has found in Paris the ideal setting to showcase his artistic vision, which is at once personal, social and universal. This exhibition is a must-see for contemporary art lovers and anyone curious to gain a fresh perspective on today's America.

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