The US Pavilion at the , 57th International Art Exhibition, will feature , a new presentation by artist Mark Bradford (b.1961). The 2017听display听signals the debut of a six-year听collaboration between the artist and the Venice social cooperative, Rio Ter脿 dei Pensieri. Co-curated by Christopher Bedford, BMA Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director and commissioner for the project and Katy Siegel, BMA Senior Programming and Research Curator, the pavilion has been organised by the听Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University and The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), in cooperation with the US Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Opening on 13 May, the show comprises听a series of new works by Bradford alongside existing pieces in a variety of media.
A leading light in contemporary art, the LA-based practitioner听is known for his abstract paintings and collage-based works that recapture mid-century American art鈥檚 capacity to conjure the sublime and evoke deep feeling, while incorporating layers of social and personal commentary. As听co-founder of LA-based nonprofit organisation Art + Practice, Bradford is also engaged with social issues in his local area. The organisation听encourages education and culture by supporting the needs of foster youth predominantly living in South LA, and providing access to free, museum-curated art exhibitions and lectures to the community of Leimert Park.
The US Pavilion exhibition Tomorrow is Another Day will reflect Bradford鈥檚 interest in renewing traditions of abstract and materialist painting, as well as his longtime social and intellectual interests, most notably in marginalised populations. A multilayered narrative will develop throughout the pavilion’s five galleries to reflect听the artist鈥檚 belief in the capacity of art to expose contradictory histories and inspire action in the present day. The artist will work closely with the nonprofit cooperative Rio Ter脿 dei Pensieri for the following six years.
Similarly to Bradford’s Art + Practice,听Rio Ter脿 dei Pensieri uses art to engage with local social issues. The organisation provides employment opportunities to men and women incarcerated in Venice to create artisanal goods and other products and supports their re-integration into society. Bradford’s lengthy collaboration,听Process Collettivo,听will launch a sustainable programme that brings awareness to both the penal system and the success of the social cooperative model. A storefront, located in听the Frari district of Venice, is听the initial manifestation of the collaboration. Opened听in April, it will continue to sell artisanal goods; provide opportunities for employment to formerly incarcerated individuals; and function as a resource centre for former inmates to receive support services over the next six years. All proceeds from merchandise sales will support Rio Ter脿 dei Pensieri in expanding and sustaining the cooperative for years to come.
Mark Bradford, US Pavilion, Tomorrow is Another Day, 13 May – 26 November, Venice Biennale, Giardini, Venice.
Find out more:听.
For the latest news in contemporary art and culture, follow us on听,听听补苍诲.
Credits
1. Mark Bradford, Scorched Earth, 2006. Courtesy of the artist and The Broad.
