Nothing Serious Reopens with “From Paa Joe to Paaris”
Leah Ermann
A new chapter for Nothing Serious Gallery
In the heart of Belleville, Nothing Serious Gallery reopens its doors after a four year hiatus with From Paa Joe to Paaris. On view from February 28 to May 24, 2026, the exhibition marks the beginning of a renewed and more ambitious program for the Paris based space. Dedicated to the Ghanaian artist Paa Joe, the show brings together contemporary art, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling. In doing so, this moment marks a fresh chapter for Nothing Serious.
Founded in 2014 by visual artist and illustrator Juliette Seydoux, Nothing Serious operates as both a studio and an artist run gallery. Over the past decade, it has developed a distinct curatorial model built on collaboration and dialogue. Rather than following the institutional formats, the gallery favours encounters encounters that challenge established narratives and forms. With From Paa Joe to Paaris, Nothing Serious affirms this vision while opening a new cycle of exhibitions.
Paa Joe and the language of abebuu adekai
Paa Joe is a central figure in international contemporary art. For more than five decades, he has transformed Ghanaian funerary traditions into a sculptural language recognised worldwide. His figurative coffins, known as abebuu adekai or “proverb containers,” first reached Western audiences through the landmark exhibition Magiciens de la Terre at the Centre Pompidou in 1989. Moreover, by participating in Nothing Serious, his work continues to resonate globally.
Abebuu adekai are ritual, symbolic, and social objects. Each piece results from close collaboration between the artist and the commissioner. Therefore, the coffin becomes a personalised form that reflects identity, profession, or personal history. Image and symbol take priority over function, allowing the object to speak beyond death. These forms were featured prominently in events at Nothing Serious gallery.
Parisian mythology in sculptural form
For this exhibition, Paa Joe presents twenty five new works, including three monumental pieces. Created in dialogue with Juliette Seydoux the sculptures reinterpret Parisian stereotypes with tenderness and humour. Croissants, a PSG mug, an urban pigeon, and a bottle of wine become sculptural coffins that explore ideas of prestige, memory, and representation. This creative process at Nothing Serious brings myth and artistry together.
Working alongside his son Jacob Tetteh-Ashong, also known as Paa Joe Junior, the artist places Ghanaian funerary practices in coversation with the visual mythology of Paris. The exhibition shows how everyday images can evolve into contemporary myths. Paris appears not only as a city, but as a shared cultural narrative shaped by symbols, much like the philosophy Nothing Serious encourages in its approach.
About Nothing Serious
Located on rue de Vaucouleurs in Belleville, Nothing Serious continues to support fragile, instinctive, and audacious practices. As Juliette Seydoux explains, the gallery welcomes what grows outside established frameworks. In 2026, Nothing Serious expands its programming to host several exhibitions per year, reinforcing its role within Paris’s evolving contemporary art scene. As a final note, the mission and vision behind Nothing Serious remain integral to its identity.
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Leah Ermann is a South African Fashion Business student whose identity and vision are deeply rooted in the landscapes, cultures, and contradictions of her home country. Growing up in South Africa meant being constantly aware of extremes. These realities shaped her sensitivity to the world around her and challenged her understanding of fashion as something far beyond surface-level beauty. In a place where many people are fortunate simply to own a pair of shoes, Leah learned early on that clothing carries meaning, privilege, and responsibility.
Alongside this awareness grew a profound connection to nature and conservation, spending a lot of time in the bush deepened her understanding of the impact humans have on endangered wildlife and fragile ecosystems. Leah sees fashion as a silent but powerful language, a way to express identity, values, and cultural stories without words.
She is driven by a desire to explore the deeper meanings behind collections, to learn from new cultures, and to use fashion as a platform to amplify South African creativity, resilience, and humanity. Ultimately, her goal is to create work that not only reflects where she comes from whilst learning about other cultures, but also contributes to change, honoring both people and the natural world that shaped her.
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