Keith Sonnier's Pop Culture Drawings at Galleria Fumagalli, Milan

Galleria Fumagalli in Milan presents a lesser-known side of Keith Sonnier (Mamou, 1941‒Southampton, 2020) with a selection of drawings from the Cat Doucet series, created in the mid-1990s. The works, displayed on white walls that enhance their chromatic silkiness, range from experimental to more refined pieces. They are considered a conceptual springboard for Sonnier's iconic neon light sculptures, illustrating the pragmatic processuality of his creative event. The bizarre figures introduce a world of play, study, and pop culture, factors that together contribute to the reinvention and understanding of his artistic language. The importance of his rural Louisiana roots and the need for a shared cultural imaginary play a crucial role in the artist's intense work: Cat Doucet, a legendary sheriff of Saint Landry Parish in Louisiana, is recognizable by his singular hat and specific references rendered through eccentric and extravagant abstraction. The attention to design, explicitly feminine forms, and colors that convey the same vibrancy generated by neon in space is evident. The exhibition runs at Galleria Fumagalli in Milan.