REMINISCENCEElizabeth Colomba
FAMM presents REMINISCENCE, the first institutional exhibition in Europe dedicated to Elizabeth Colomba. The French artist revisits the major narratives of Western art history. Curated by Simon de Pury, an iconic figure in the art world, the exhibition brings together 31 works (15 large oil paintings, 14 preparatory drawings, and 2 watercolours), many of which are being shown for the first time.
- Dates
- to
- Opening hours
- Every day • 10am - 6pm
- Location
Mougins Art Centre, 1 place du Commandant Lamy, 06250 Mougins
FAMM presents REMINISCENCE, the first institutional exhibition in Europe dedicated to Elizabeth Colomba. The French artist revisits the major narratives of Western art history. Curated by Simon de Pury, an iconic figure in the art world, the exhibition brings together 31 works (15 large oil paintings, 14 preparatory drawings, and 2 watercolours), many of which are being shown for the first time.
The exhibition
Drawing on the techniques of the old masters, Colomba reinvests the European canon—from Vermeer to Ingres, from Caravaggio to Vigée Le Brun—placing the Black female figure at the centre. Her rich, symbolic compositions, full of historical references, transform colonialism into a language of dignity and emancipation, restoring presence and sovereignty to Black women long absent from the canon of art and history.
This exhibition marks the artist’s institutional debut in France, her country of birth, and aligns with FAMM’s mission to celebrate women artists who have long been underrepresented.
In partnership with: Collecta, the City of Mougins
With the support of: Gander & White, Firebird Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, The Park Avenue Armory and numerous private collectors
The artist
Elizabeth Colomba, born in Épinay-sur-Seine in 1976, has been passionate about painting since her childhood. She created her first works, watercolors, for her parents' Caribbean restaurant. After studying at the École Estienne and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, she honed her skills in the techniques of the Dutch masters.
At the age of 22, Colomba moved to Los Angeles to work in storyboarding and illustration for the film industry. Her career took a significant turn in 2010 when she met Deborah Willis, who introduced her to the New York art scene.
Her art is characterized by representations of Black figures in historical contexts, often portraits of women like Biddy Mason and the Chevalier de Saint-Georges. These works highlight the contributions of African Americans and address the historical omission of women of color in 19th-century art.
In 2016, she was celebrated at the Long Gallery in Harlem for her "opulent portraits of Black women." In 2022, she had her first solo museum exhibition at Princeton University, and in 2023, her exhibition "Mythologies" at the Portland Museum of Art included paintings, works on paper, and a short film, "Cinderella," enriching the dialogue on the representation of the African diaspora in art.
Curatorship
Simon de Pury
CuratorFormer president of Sotheby's Europe and then Phillips, where he was chief auctioneer, Simon de Pury returns to the Mougins Art Centre after Reminiscence (Elizabeth Colomba, 2025–2026). In 2013, he founded de Pury, active in curatorship and advising collectors.
In pictures
Antiope, 2024
© ADAGP, Paris 2025
he Cockfight, 2023
© ADAGP, Paris 2025
Orientalism Plate 1
© ADAGP, Paris 2025
The Magician, 2025
© ADAGP, Paris 2025
The Wheel of Fortune, 2023
© ADAGP, Paris 2025
