Tyler Mitchell, Ancestors, 2021
From October 15, 2025, to January 25, 2026, the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris will host Tyler Mitchell’s first solo exhibition in France, titled Wish This Was Real. The show is presented alongside a simultaneous exhibition of Edward Weston, a pairing that invites a subtle dialogue between distinct visual histories.
Tyler Mitchell, Curtain Call, 2018
Mitchell is a defining voice in the new generation of contemporary photographers, and Wish This Was Real surveys roughly a decade of his work in photography, video, and sculpture.The exhibition is structured into three thematic sections that reflect different facets of his evolving practice. In Lives / Liberties, early works grounded in influences such as skateboard culture surface, pairing youthful spontaneity with social context including his 2015 video Wish This Was Real, a poetic meditation on innocence and political tension in the U.S. The second section, Postcolonial / Pastoral, juxtaposes idyllic landscapes with historical shadow, weaving memory, nature, and speculative imagery. Finally, Family / Fraternity centers on intimate portraits, still lifes, and scenes of sanctuary, celebrating the resilience and creative life of Black communities.
Tyler Mitchell, Flotation, 2022
Visually, Mitchell’s work blends careful composition, saturated color palettes, and a refined balance of staging and naturalism. His images often reimagine the representation of Black bodies and Black domestic life not as subjects of exoticism or trauma, but as sovereign, joyful, and poised. The show also highlights how Mitchell’s fashion work and personal artistic practice intersect: his experience in visual storytelling within fashion has informed a signature aesthetic of elegance, softness, and empowerment.
Tyler Mitchell, New Horizons II, 2022
One highlight of the opening period will be a public conversation between Tyler Mitchell and exhibition co-curator Brendan Embser on October 16, 2025, where they will discuss the genesis of Wish This Was Real, Mitchell’s motivations, and the broader themes of the show. For visitors, the MEP offers evening hours on Thursdays until 10 pm, while regular hours run 10 am to 8 pm on weekends and 11 am to 8 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Tyler Mitchell, Untitled (Topanga II), 2017
With Wish This Was Real, the MEP invites Paris audiences into a luminous reimagining of Black life, one that embraces introspection, beauty, and agency. In doing so, the exhibition underscores how Mitchell is not only a photographer of the moment but an architect of visual futures.
Tyler Mitchell, Untitled (Red Steps), 2016
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