On the occasion of Art Basel Paris 2026, Pilar Corrias is pleased to present a solo booth of new paintings and charcoal paintings on paper by Christina Quarles.
The presentation will include the large-scale stretched painting, Stay Up Late to See the Light/ Stain' Up Late to See Tha Light/ Staid Up Late to See Tha Light, 2026: a monumental triptych with panels that will alternate daily throughout the fair, revealing different orientations of the work. This evolving installation invites viewers to encounter the painting anew with each configuration, gradually unlocking its multiple compositions. The presentation will also include additional large-scale paintings alongside a series of smaller charcoal works on paper.
The booth, designed by the artist, uses a matte black shadow to dramatically divide the space, playing with contrast and the natural light that enters through the Grand Palais skylights throughout the day. Unlike in previous paintings where large areas of raw canvas were used as a light source, here Quarles relies on bright, saturated colour to illuminate sections of dense black and dark plains.
These new works mark a significant development in Quarles’ practice, whilst continuing her exploration of bodies marked by a complex experience of identity. These paintings and charcoal drawings on paper reveal an evolving intricacy in Quarles’ practice, and an expansion of the artist’s patterning technique and palette. Richly layered backgrounds and fragmented, interwoven bodies create a sense of dynamism and constant movement across these new paintings. With this body of work, Quarles constructs a world where fragility and resilience sit alongside one another, striking a delicate, sometimes tense balance.
