Corps et Âmes at Bourse de Commerce: Black Art, Identity & the Representation of the Body
A Must-See Exhibition on Black Art in Paris – Until August 25, 2025
The Corps et Âmes exhibition at Bourse de Commerce is a stunning exploration of the body in contemporary art. Showcasing a mix of painting, sculpture, photography, and video, this exhibition brings together a powerful roster of artists—many of whom are Black—who interrogate the relationship between body and soul.
I attended the vernissage with high expectations, knowing that François Pinault’s collection includes works by some of the most influential Black artists.
It’s rare to see a white collector authentically invested in Black art without performative motivations, such as white guilt or post-Black Lives Matter tokenism. My previous article, Who Can Buy Black Art?, explores this topic in more depth.
But one thing is certain—Pinault’s collection is impressive, and Corps et Âmes further proves his commitment to thought-provoking and socially engaged art.
Walking through the exhibition, I was immediately struck by the presence of artists like Kerry James Marshall, David Hammons, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Lorna Simpson, Zanele Muholi, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Deana Lawson, and Arthur Jafa. Their works center the Black experience in all its complexity—beauty, resilience, intimacy, and struggle.
Arthur Jafa’s video installations, particularly Love Is the Message, The Message Is Death, set the tone. It’s a powerful collage of Black life, weaving together moments of joy, music, protest, and violence. Jafa’s work often evokes what I would call "violent beauty"—a juxtaposition of celebration and trauma that forces viewers to confront the realities of Black existence in America.
Deana Lawson’s photography carries a similar emotional weight. Her portraits depict intimacy, affinity, and vulnerability, but with an edge that makes them unsettling.
One image that stood out to me featured a pregnant woman wearing an ankle monitor.
The contrast between the beauty of impending motherhood and the restriction of incarceration makes the piece deeply thought-provoking. Another portrait of an older woman with a strikingly blue eye and the words "Rest in Peace" above her head suggests layers of loss and transformation.
As I explored the exhibition with my friend Sarah, we found ourselves captivated and, at times, disturbed. The way Corps et Âmes handles themes of race, identity, and corporeality is not always comfortable, but it is necessary. Even artists I don’t personally connect with, like Kara Walker, added to the depth of the exhibition with their presence. Beyond the Black artists, Corps et Âmes also includes works by a wide range of creators interrogating the body’s place in contemporary thought.
The exhibition draws from over a hundred pieces in the Pinault Collection, as well as borrowed works from other institutions, creating a well-rounded and compelling discourse on the body as a vessel of memory, power, and identity.
If you’re in Paris, Corps et Âmes is a must-see. The exhibition runs until August 25, 2025, giving visitors ample time to engage with these powerful works. Whether you’re drawn to the visceral storytelling of Arthur Jafa, the haunting beauty of Deana Lawson’s portraits, or the layered narratives of Kerry James Marshall and Lorna Simpson, there is something here that will challenge and inspire you. Corps et Âmes is not just an exhibition—it’s a meditation on the body as both a site of history and a canvas for contemporary expression.