The exhibition’s title speaks to the layered histories in Marshall’s work, to the history of painting as well as African and transatlantic history. For Godfrey, the relevance of Marshall’s painting today lies in its “many layers and complexities” as well as the meticulously created and intentional compositions. The enormous School of Beauty, School of Culture (2012) is a richly decorated beauty salon, walls adorned with posters that advertise Black beauty and a Chris Ofili exhibition at Tate Britain. Marshall will be including eight new paintings in the show, each exploring underacknowledged episodes of African history and the transatlantic slave trade. • Kerry James Marshall: the Histories , Royal Academy of Arts, London, 20 September-18 January 2026