Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me
Commissioned by Portland Art Museum and SITE Santa Fe
U.S. Pavilion, 60th Biennale di Venezia, Giardini, Venice, Italy
April 20, 2024 – November 24, 2024
Production | Exhibition Grant
Co-commissioned by Portland Art Museum and SITE Santa Fe, Jeffrey Gibson’s the space in which to place me is an installation of newly produced artwork for the U.S. Pavilion of the 60th Venice Biennale. For this presentation, Gibson will activate the interior and exterior of the building with a series of new and recent works that invite reflection on individual and collective identities including sculpture, paintings, multimedia works, and a site-specific installation activating the pavilion’s courtyard. The title of the exhibition references Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s poem Ȟe Sápa.
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 pattern, and text, he invites deep reflection on identity, inspires empathy, and advocates for a widening of access to democracy and freedom for all. Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me provides international audiences with the first major opportunity to experience Gibson’s work outside of the U.S.
1. Exterior view ofthe space in which to place me(JeffreyGibson’s exhibition for the United StatesPavilion, 60thInternational Art Exhibition–La Biennale di Venezia),April20–November 24, 2024.Forecourt sculpture:the space in which to place me(2024).Photograph by Timothy Schenck.
2. Installation view ofthe space in which to place me(JeffreyGibson’s exhibition for the United StatesPavilion, 60thInternational Art Exhibition–La Biennale di Venezia),April20–November 24, 2024.From left to right:IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN(2024); TheEnforcer(2024); WE WANT TO BE FREE(2024) Mural:WE ARE MADE BY HISTORY(2024) Photograph by Timothy Schenck.
