Tomorrow, the Royal Academy of Arts in London unveils Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, a landmark exhibition that runs from September 20th, 2025, through January 18th, 2026. Coinciding with the artist’s 70th birthday, the exhibition celebrates Marshall as one of the most important contemporary artists working today, presenting more than 70 works that span his career, including a new series created specifically for this show.
Honoring one of the most important contemporary artists
The Kerry James Marshall’s exhibition 2025 offers the most comprehensive European survey of the celebrated American painter to date. Across 11 thematic sections, the show traces the evolution of Marshall’s practice, from his early explorations of identity and invisibility to his large-scale compositions of everyday Black life.
Marshall’s art redefines the tradition of Western history painting by centering Black figures who were historically absent from its canon. His works draw on a wide range of references — from art history and literature to Afrofuturism and science fiction — to interrogate cultural narratives and envision new possibilities.
Highlights of the Kerry James Marshall exhibition 2025
Among the standout works is A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self (1980), one of Marshall’s earliest mature pieces. This painting sets the tone for his lifelong exploration of visibility and absence, using stark contrasts and shadowed forms to challenge how Black figures are depicted in art.
Another focal point is The Academy (2012), where a life-drawing model assumes the iconic raised fist gesture, directly invoking the Black Power movements. By placing this symbol within the framework of academic art, Marshall reframes institutional traditions through a lens of resistance and empowerment.
Visitors will also encounter Knowledge and Wonder (1995), a monumental commission originally created for the Chicago Public Library. Shown outside of Chicago for the first time, the work transforms a library mural into an expansive allegory of imagination, education, and cultural history.
A major moment for London’s art scene
Through The Histories, the Royal Academy affirms Marshall’s place among the most important contemporary artists of our time. His work both confronts painful histories — from the Middle Passage to the Civil Rights era — and celebrates the resilience and everyday lives of Black communities.
For London audiences, this is the first opportunity in nearly two decades to experience a solo presentation of Marshall’s work. The scale and ambition of this exhibition mark it as one of the cultural highlights of the season, situating the Royal Academy at the center of global conversations on art, history, and representation.
Untitled (Policeman), 2015
THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, New York. Gift of MIMI HAAS in honor of MARIE-JOSÉE KRAVIS, 2016
Courtesy of KERRY JAMES MARSHALL. Photography by THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, New York/Scala, Florence
De Style, 1993
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART, Purchased with funds provided by RUTH and JACOB BLOOM. © KERRY JAMES MARSHALL
Photography courtesy of MUSEUM ASSOCIATES/LACMA
Untitled (Blanket Couple), 2014
FREDRIKSEN FAMILY ART COLLECTION. © KERRY JAMES MARSHALL
Image courtesy of the artist and DAVID ZWIRNER, London
Untitled (Studio), 2014
Purchase, THE JACQUES AND NATASHA GELMAN FOUNDATION GIFT, ACQUISITIONS FUND and THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART MULTICULTURAL AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE GIFT, 2015.
Courtesy of KERRY JAMES MARSHALL. Photography by MATTHEW HOLLOW. Image courtesy of the artist and DAVID ZWIRNER, London
Untitled, 2009
YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY, Purchased with the JANET AND SIMEON BRAGUIN FUND and a gift from JACQUELINE L. BRADLEY, B.A. 1979
Courtesy of KERRY JAMES MARSHALL
Better Homes, Better Gardens, 1994
DENVER ART MUSEUM. © KERRY JAMES MARSHALL
Image courtesy of the artist and JACK SHAINMAN GALLERY, New York