Royal Academy of Art, London
September 20, 2025–January 18, 2026
The Royal Academy of Arts has announced the largest survey of Kerry James Marshall's work in the United Kingdom to date, titled The Histories.
Enhancing the presence of Black figures in paintings built on principles codified in the tradition of Western picture-making Marshall encountered during his childhood, the artist places Black bodies front and center in his lyrical, frequently large-scale figurative paintings and murals.
Marshall’s work is informed by his own memories, art historical styles and genres, contemporary culture and science fiction, among other points of reference. He uses these to comment on the past, celebrate everyday life, and imagine more optimistic futures.
Organized thematically, this exhibition features 70 works including a new series of paintings made especially for the show and his commemorative sculpture Wake which evolves each time it is exhibited.
The exhibition is organized by the Royal Academy of Arts, London in collaboration with the Kunsthaus Zurich and the Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris where it will travel in 2027.
Learn more at the Royal Academy of Arts.