In the first decades of the 20th century, a generation of convention-defying American women left home behind to reinvent themselves in France. They painted and performed, published and protested, shaping modernism—and themselves.
This summer, the stories of those women are finding a home in Athens at the Georgia Museum of Art. Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939 opens to the public, free of charge, on July 19 in Athens, Georgia, and runs through Nov. 2. The exhibit offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of 65 American women expats in early 1900s Paris.
“The subject matter, the quality of the works, and the scholarship are all engaging and crucial,” said Nelda Damiano, the Georgia Museum of Art’s Pierre Daura Curator of European Art. “These artists—and the women they depict—illustrate a period of great creativity and freedom.”
Organized by Robyn Asleson, Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Brilliant Exiles has a special connection to the Peach State: One of the featured works is a self-portrait by Louise Heron Blair Daura, a Virginian artist who moved to Paris at 22 years old then later married Catalan painter Pierre Daura, for whom Damiano’s curatorial position is named.
A New Self in the City of Light
While Paris has long been mythologized as a destination for artists, Brilliant Exiles is not about fantasy. It’s about agency. In the early 1900s, American women faced social and legal prohibitions that made creative lives difficult, if not impossible. Paris, by contrast, offered freedom.
“This exhibition is especially relevant because what we are still witnessing is not far from what women in the early 20th century experienced … Brilliant Exiles shows that women are capable of transforming those realities into incredible feats of art and storytelling.”
Nelda Damiano, Pierre Daura Curator of European Art, Georgia Museum of Art
“Many of the women depicted in Brilliant Exiles were lesbians, women of color, or otherwise unconventional women who sought to escape the racist ideologies and constraints of traditional womanhood built into American society,” Damiano said. “Paris was considered the epicenter of modern culture—a place where the eccentric could thrive and be free to experiment with their art and identities.”
Some became icons: Josephine Baker, the dazzling dancer and activist; Sylvia Beach, the pioneering publisher who printed Ulysses; Ada “Bricktop” Smith, the jazz-era club owner and cultural connector. Others, such as artists Anne Goldthwaite and Romaine Brooks, left behind quieter, lasting legacies of their own.
Portraits of Power, Reimagined
Brilliant Exiles emphasizes portraiture as a tool of identity construction. From formal portraits to posters and fashion illustrations, the works in the exhibition span styles and medium but share a spirit of bold visibility.
“Portraits have always been a great way to reveal, or construct, one’s identity,” said Damiano. “They often are succinct, neat statements of our beliefs and what matters to us. These artists were able to present themselves to the world however they saw fit.”
Visitors to Brilliant Exiles will encounter an immersive visual experience. The exhibition features photographs, paintings, rare books, and design objects that echo the avant-garde style and spirit of 1920s and ’30s Paris.
“Visually, I think the exhibition looks stunning! In terms of the colors, the vibe, the educational activities that invite the visitors to engage with the ideas put forth in the show,” said Damiano. “The design and flow of the galleries [is] conducive to conversations, pauses, and contemplation.”
One show-stopper? A grand Art Nouveau triptych and archival advertising poster featuring Josephine Baker performing at the famed Folies Bergère.
Echoes of Now
Damiano sees clear parallels between the world the women of Brilliant Exiles lived in and ours. In that way, the show functions not just as a retrospective, but also as a mirror.
“This exhibition is especially relevant because what we are still witnessing is not far from what women in the early 20th century experienced,” she said. “In the United States, women of all backgrounds and orientations have long been constricted by social and material injustices. Brilliant Exiles shows that women are capable of transforming those realities into incredible feats of art and storytelling.”
✨ Brilliant After Hours: Thursday, July 18 | Georgia Museum of Art
Join the Georgia Museum of Art for a sneak preview of the exhibition “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900 – 1939” with light refreshments. Learn more here.