Tyler Mitchell’s work will soon be exhibited for the first time in France Next October, the Maison européenne de la photographie in Paris will organize a retrospective in his honor

Starting on October 15, with falling leaves and the arrival of rain, a brand-new flagship exhibition will come to Paris to fill our autumn days: at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, American artist Tyler Mitchell will be honored in a complete and evocative retrospective. Until January 25, 2025, the exhibition Wish this was real, the very first exhibition in France tracing Mitchell’s career, will showcase photographs, videos, and sculptures in a 360° ode to this artist—but most of all, to his roots. For the young artist, the Black body is the foundation of everything. Initially interested in skateboarding and video, photography quickly became the main channel for the young artist. Trained at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York, Tyler Mitchell’s name quickly spread worldwide after he photographed Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue USA. A first for a Black artist. He was only 23 at the time.

The exhibition therefore doesn’t just highlight Mitchell and his art, but showcases the entire New Black Vanguard movement. It is divided into 3 parts: the first focuses on Mitchell’s influences that led him to take his first steps in photography, with images ranging from the lighthearted theme of friendship to the deeper one of identity exploration. The second explores the themes of memory and dream, rich in strong and evocative symbolism, while the third centers around the resilience and strength of Black communities through scenes of everyday, private life, where the home is not only a place of refuge but also one of transmission. See you in the fall to discover this retrospective filled with meaning—and probably emotion as well.