Exhibition The irony of history: Philip Guston caricatures the United States at the Musée Picasso

The Musée Picasso welcomes Philip Guston, an American artist who depicts the United States of the 70s and 80s with humor and irony. The exhibition The Irony of History runs from October 14, 2025 to March 1, 2026.

It's a surprising, gritty exhibition, as amusing as it is harsh, that's unveiled at the Musée Picasso. The art venue hosts works by American artist Philip Guston, known for his satirical wit.

For Philip Guston, art is a weapon. From his formative years, the artist used caricature and satire to denounce authority figures and express himself on social issues. The Musée National Picasso - Paris invites you to discover this twentieth-century American artist in a groundbreaking exhibition on view from October 14, 2025 to March 1, 2026.

The exhibition L'ironie de l'histoire brings together paintings and drawings by the artist, made during the administration of President Richard Nixon.

Often associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement, he nonetheless went against the grain of fashion, opting for comic-book-inspired figuration. Behind a seemingly simple, childlike style, Philip Guston tackles violent, divisive issues, such as the crimes committed by the Ku Klux Klan.

The exhibition includes a collection of drawings by Philip Guston in response to Roth's book Our Gang. The writer openly mocked Nixon's policies, and the book inspired Guston to produce over 80 drawings that were equally satirical and critical of the government.

The paintings that complete this itinerary allow us to explore the different facets of Philip Guston's art, to better understand his universe, his commitments and the evolution of his techniques. With a dose of black humor and a sharp eye for society, the artist set himself apart from his peers, and remains a benchmark of American painting and drawing to this day.

Some of these works may shock, but this is of course deliberate. Philipp Guston depicts himself as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, a mocking gesture against those he fought, also denouncing the phenomenon whereby victims can become executioners. He caricatures Nixon and his policies, illustrating the violence that is destroying the country... The exhibition is therefore aimed at a more mature public, who will be able to grasp the story behind each drawing, each symbol.

The exhibition also highlights the links between Guston and Picasso: Guston often observed the work of the Spanish painter. The two artists also shared common subjects: they were both shaken by the bombings and the tragic civil war that marked Spain in the 1930s.

A fascinating artist to discover at the Musée Picasso in Paris this autumn!

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