For over 60 years, American artist John Wilson created powerful and poetic works that reflected his life as a Black American artist and his ongoing quest for racial, social and economic justice. Starting on September 20 and going until February 8, 2026, The Met on Fifth Avenue will host his first-ever solo museum show with more than 100 paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and illustrated books.
To start, the exhibition showcases work Wilson made while at art school in Boston, where his subjects included the horrors of Nazi Germany and American racial violence, as well as portraits of his family and neighborhood. Wilson happened to be a traveler, and work from his time in Paris, Mexico City and New York will also be on view. Finally, the exhibition concludes with Wilson’s return to Boston and his focus on portraiture. Wilson's sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the United States Capitol and the monumental sculpture Eternal Presence, two of his most celebrated works, will be on display.
"Wilson’s art is imbued with compassion and empathy while conveying his anger and distress at the wrenching effects of disenfranchisement, racism and economic inequality. Challenging deep-seated prejudices and omissions within our national history, Wilson centered the experiences of Black Americans to create images that convey strength, resilience and humanity," Jennifer Farrell, exhibition co-curator said in a press release.
The exhibition is included with museum admission.