USA pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia.
Venice, Italy
April 20 – November 24, 2024

Portland Art Museum in Oregon and SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will present Jeffrey Gibson as the representative for the United States at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Celebrated for an artistic practice that combines American, Indigenous, and Queer histories with influences from music and pop culture, Gibson creates a dynamic visual language that reflects the inherent diversity and hybridity of American culture. Using abundant color, complex patterns, and text, he invites deep reflection on the complex intersections that form one’s identity, inspires empathy, and advocates for a widening of access to democracy and freedom for all.

A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, Gibson will be the first Indigenous artist to represent the U.S. with a solo exhibition at the Biennale Arte. This exhibition is also the first to be commissioned and co-curated by a Native American curator; the space in which to place me consider Indigenous histories within an American and international context, expanding upon the varied materials and forms that Gibson has explored over the past two decades. Drawing on themes examined throughout the Pavilion, the title references Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s poem Ȟe Sápa.

For the U.S. Pavilion, Gibson is activating the interior and exterior of the neoclassical building with a series of new and recent works, including sculpture, paintings on paper, video, and multimedia paintings. He also continues his long-held engagement with text, incorporating language from foundational American documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including constitutional amendments, legislation, speeches and official correspondence as well as song lyrics and musical references. Often pointing toward moments in history that were meant to spark change, Gibson’s use of text encourages viewers to examine our past when considering the present.

The exhibition extends to the Pavilion’s forecourt, where a large-scale, site-specific installation encourages public interaction, and offers a site for celebration and gathering. On opening day, a dance program featuring members of the Colorado Intertribal Dancers and Oklahoma Fancy Dancers will inaugurate the space.

more. www.jeffreygibsonvenice2024.org