Sheila Hicks, a pioneer of textile art, has been given free rein at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille and has become the first female artist to exhibit in its atrium.

In her work, thread is not simply woven: it coils, swells, and piles up in masses of color that defy all categorization. Based in Paris since 1964, the American artist has made textile fiber a sculptural material in its own right. The Palais des Beaux-Arts has opened its grand atrium to her, where she has created a site-specific installation that responds to the building's architecture and the long textile history of Lille and the Nord region. The exhibition continues into the heart of the collections, where her works, according to the museum, play "between weightlessness and sensuality."

To continue: our top exhibitions to see in the regions.

PALAIS DES BEAUX-ARTS DE LILLE
From October 9, 2026 to March 8, 2027
Place de la République, 59000 Lille - Metro: République-Beaux-Arts (1)
Mon. 2 pm–6 pm, Wed.–Sun. 10 am–6 pm, closed on Tue.
Admission: €7 - Reduced rate: €4 - Atrium installation free of charge