Figurative coffins and funeral urns inspired by the Parisian imagination... The Nothing Serious gallery, located in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, is reopening its doors after four years with the exhibition From Paa Joe to Paaris, running from February 28 to May 24, 2026. Established in 2014 by artist and illustrator Juliette Seydoux, this free gallery — operated as an artist-run space — presents a program dedicated to a wide range of contemporary art. This Paris exhibition highlights Paa Joe, a Ghanaian artist born Joseph Tetteh-Ashong, renowned for his figurative coffins and internationally recognized after participating in the Magicians of the Earth exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in 1989.
For over fifty years, Paa Joe has been creating intricate funerary art centered around the abebuu adekai, elaborately decorated coffins rooted in the traditional Ga burial customs of Ghana. Known as "proverb vessels", these pieces are crafted in close collaboration with the families of the deceased and often take the form of objects related to their profession or personal story. Smaller versions are even produced for family members and close friends as keepsakes of the ceremony, since the primary coffins and sculptures are usually buried and no longer visible after the funeral rites.
Featured in major institutions such as the Tate Modern, the Guggenheim Bilbao, and the Brooklyn Museum, these sculptures have gained recognition in the realm of contemporary art. For this exhibition in Paris, Paa Joe is collaborating with his son Jacob Tetteh-Ashong, who was trained in the family workshop and is now actively involved in coordinating projects and exhibitions.
The exhibition features 25 never-before-seen works, including three large-scale pieces, created through a dialogue between Juliette Seydoux and the participating artists. This conversation was sparked after the discovery of a coffin shaped like a Mercedes-Benz at the National Museum of Scotland. The pieces on display in Paris draw on elements associated with the Parisian imagination, such as a , a PSG mug, a pigeon, or a bottle of wine. Through these forms, the artists explore visual representation, collective memory, and the circulation of symbols between West Africa and France’s capital. The exhibition thus bridges a Ghanaian funeral tradition with popular icons tied to Paris, offering a nuanced interpretation of contemporary mythologies.
Beyond the displayed works, the exhibition primarily invites visitors to consider what happens to a ritual object when it leaves its original context and enters the realm of art. Perspectives shift, functions evolve, and it is precisely in this dissonance that something compelling unfolds. As you wander through the gallery, you’re free to interpret these ancient forms in your own way and to reflect on how cultures come into contact, adapt, and continue their dialogue over time.
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Dates and Opening Time
From February 28, 2026 to May 23, 2026
Location
Nothing to worry about
6 Rue de Vaucouleurs
75011 Paris 11
Access
Metro lines 2 and 11, station "Belleville"
Prices
Free
Official website
www.nothingserious.fr
More information
Open Thursday and Friday from 2 PM to 6 PM, and Saturday from 1 PM to 6 PM. Visits are available by appointment—please contact us via email or Instagram.
