Miriam Cahn's 'Gezeichnet' at Fondazione ICA Milano

Miriam Cahn (born 1949, Basel) is currently featured in two Italian exhibitions: a comprehensive retrospective titled 'Gezeichnet' at Fondazione ICA in Milan, and a dedicated space at the Venice Biennale curated by Cecilia Alemani. The Milan show, curated by Alberto Salvadori and Luigi Fassi, presents Cahn's ghostly, ectoplasmic bodies that challenge binary gender norms and cultural codes. Her practice began with black-and-white drawings on paper, often performed naked and blindfolded on her studio floor to bypass rational control. Since the 1990s, she has worked in oil painting, depicting bodies that are simultaneously warrior-like and defenseless, with exposed genitalia that defy easy categorization. The works engage with themes of violence, war, migration, and sexual assault, reflecting contemporary horrors. The exhibition juxtaposes large color paintings with smaller black-and-white works displayed on the floor or in sequences. Cahn lives and works in Stampa, a remote Alpine village, yet her art remains deeply connected to current events.