Pierre Bismuth: Love Bless America
Exhibition, Talk
Pierre Bismuth, Untitled (detail), 2026.
Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society
University of Chicago
5701 S. Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60637
Sept 26, 2026 - Aug 1, 2027
The Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society presents Love Bless America, an exhibition of new work by French artist and filmmaker Pierre Bismuth, developed in the context of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The exhibition explores the relationship between divine love and America’s tradition of spiritual and gospel music.
For the centerpiece of the exhibition, Bismuth invited Chicago-based bassist Joshua Abrams and pianist Sharon Udoh to create a contemporary spiritual based on a hymn written by the artist. Filmed from multiple angles during their collaboration, the resulting long-form film offers a meditation on music, creativity, and spiritual expression.
The exhibition also features a series of digital, flag-inspired works combining elements of national flags with lines from Bismuth’s hymn, bringing together references to countries including China, Greenland, Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Known for his work across film, video, painting, sculpture, installation, and collage, Pierre Bismuth also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and directed Where Is Rocky II (2016).
Curator Talk at the Alliance Française
On October 15, the Alliance Française de Chicago welcomes curator Dieter Roelstraete for a conversation about the exhibition and the making of Bismuth’s film, including the collaboration between Abrams and Udoh. The evening will feature a screening of an excerpt from the film, followed by a reception.
October 15 – 6:30 p.m. – Alliance Française de Chicago – Julius Lewis Auditorium
More info here.
Known for his work across film, video, painting, sculpture, installation, and collage, Bismuth also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and directed Where Is Rocky II (2016).
Love Bless America is supported by the Neubauer Family Foundation, the Brenda Mulmed Shapiro Fund, Bernard Friedman and Flying Mind, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and the France Chicago Center at the University of Chicago.
In partnership with
Alliance française de Chicago
The Alliance Française de Chicago is over 120 years old and is part of an international network of over 1,100 Alliances and affiliated cultural centers worldwide. It is the second oldest Alliance Française in the US and second largest after the Alliance Française in New York City. Classes are offered for all ages and levels of French, leading to certifications in French for professional purposes or simply for experiencing another language and its various cultures. It also hosts an impressive array of events, bringing notable lecturers to Chicago: authors, filmmakers and directors, winemakers, chefs, designers, historians, actors and performing artists.