For the first time in Paris: Nina Chanel Abney’s solo exhibition

Perrotin Paris is set to present Now What? Or What Else?, the highly anticipated debut solo exhibition in Paris by acclaimed artist Nina Chanel Abney, running from September 6th to October 11th, 2025. The exhibition offers a striking reflection on the complexities of modern life, blending humor, horror, and abstraction to explore the emotional landscape of living amid constant crises.

Nina Chanel Abney exhibition explores everyday surrealism

Abney’s new body of work turns its gaze inward, capturing the quiet detachment and numbness that define our current emotional climate. Rather than depicting catastrophe in its most dramatic form, the compositions depict mundane, surreal moments: couples in bed beside towering piles of laundry, picnics unfolding amid polluted air, and grocery carts brimming with existential anxiety. These scenes underscore the ongoing psychic toll of social, political, and ecological upheaval.

Climate change and art in Abney’s visual language

A key theme of Now What? Or What Else? is the subtle yet pervasive impact of environmental disaster. Forests smolder in the distance, oil rigs encroach upon beaches, and sunbathers float near dead fish—metaphors for a world affected by climate change and art. 

Abney’s signature style combines bold, graphic forms with vibrant colors, creating imagery that feels both familiar and unsettling. Emoji-like faces devoid of expression, playful compositions masking exhaustion, and absurd juxtapositions of daily life invite viewers to confront the emotional endurance required to navigate contemporary society.

Highlighted works in the exhibition

Among the standout compositions, a series depicting poisoned picnics reflects the absurdity and helplessness of daily existence amid environmental decay. Another series portrays domestic spaces overrun by chaos—laundry heaps, cluttered kitchens, and mundane routines—juxtaposed against subtle reminders of ecological and political crisis. Together, these works articulate a vision of endurance, care, and quiet reflection, encouraging audiences to navigate the ambiguity of contemporary life.

Now What? Or What Else? at Perrotin Paris presents a profound exploration of how we live in an age of constant upheaval, using art to illuminate the surreal, quiet persistence of our contemporary existence.

This exhibition is a must-see for those interested in socially engaged art, contemporary visual culture, and the intersection of climate change and art in today’s urban life.

Discover Nina Chanel Abney’s thoughts on emotion, technology, and the riddles at the heart of her creative process in our new interview.