Julie Mehretu's 'Ensemble' at Palazzo Grassi: A Plural Exhibition
Julie Mehretu's exhibition 'Ensemble' at Palazzo Grassi in Venice, curated by Caroline Bourgeois, spans two floors and features works from the past quarter-century, alongside invited artists including David Hammons, Paul Pfeiffer, Huma Bhabha, Jessica Rankin, Robin Coste Lewis, Tacita Dean, and Nairy Baghramian. The show emphasizes collective creation, with Mehretu's abstract paintings evolving from architectural drawings to politically charged color fields. Key works include 'Chimera' (2013), referencing Saddam Hussein's bombed bunkers, and 'about the space of half an hour (R. 8:1) 3', alluding to the Grenfell Tower fire and Lebanese protests. Her latest series, TRANSpaintings, uses aluminum supports by Baghramian and incorporates transparency and visitor interaction. The exhibition runs during the 2024 Venice Biennale.
Key facts
- Julie Mehretu was born in Addis Ababa in 1970.
- The exhibition 'Ensemble' is at Palazzo Grassi in Venice.
- The show is curated by Caroline Bourgeois.
- Mehretu invited artists including David Hammons, Paul Pfeiffer, Huma Bhabha, Jessica Rankin, Robin Coste Lewis, Tacita Dean, and Nairy Baghramian.
- Works span about 25 years, without chronological order.
- 'Chimera' (2013) depicts ruins of Saddam Hussein's bunkers in Baghdad.
- Paul Pfeiffer's work deconstructs a wooden torso of Justin Bieber.
- Huma Bhabha's sculptures use materials from cork to animal bones.
- Mehretu's TRANSpaintings use aluminum supports by Nairy Baghramian.
- The painting 'about the space of half an hour (R. 8:1) 3' references the Grenfell Tower fire and Lebanese protests.
Entities
Artists
- Julie Mehretu
- Caroline Bourgeois
- David Hammons
- Paul Pfeiffer
- Huma Bhabha
- Jessica Rankin
- Robin Coste Lewis
- Tacita Dean
- Nairy Baghramian
- Caravaggio
- Théodore Géricault
- Marcel Duchamp
- Justin Bieber
Institutions
- Palazzo Grassi
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Addis Ababa
- Ethiopia
- Baghdad
- Iraq
- London
- United Kingdom
- Lebanon