The Black American Artists Who Dazzled Post-War Paris
“Paris in Black: Internationalism and the Black Renaissance,” an exhibition at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Chicago, surveys Black American painters, writers, musicians, and performers who sought greater freedom in Paris after World War II. Curated by Danny Dunson, the show spans two floors and presents more than 100 artworks, including paintings and sculptures from the museum’s permanent collection. It situates postwar expatriation within broader forces such as the Harlem Renaissance and includes context on Alain Locke, while also highlighting Chicago connections through artists like Archibald J. Motley Jr., whose “Sunday in the Park” (1941) is featured. The exhibition also foregrounds sculpture by artists including Richmond Barthé and Augusta Savage while addressing the complexities Black expatriates faced even as they escaped US racism.
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