In 2017, Mark Bradford represented the United States at the 57th Venice Biennale with ‘Tomorrow Is Another Day’, an acclaimed solo exhibition in which the artist examined the historical roots of American racism. Extending his socially committed practice beyond the Biennale walls, Bradford initiated a partnership with Rio Terà dei Pensieri, an Italian nonprofit that supports skill-based training and reintegration for inmates of Venice prisons.
The Long Museum has announced the exhibition ‘Los Angeles’ by Mark Bradford, the artist’s largest exhibition to date in China, will open on 27 July 2019. Taking his current residence and hometown as its title, ‘Mark Bradford: Los Angeles’ is a site-specific exhibition that explores the evolution of Bradford’s practice over the past decade, and his treatment of themes from present-day American culture.
The variety of media in which Bradford works reflects the artist’s singular exploration of societal contradictions, which can move and inspire actions in the present day. While best known for his abstract paintings and collage-based works, as the exhibition will highlight, Bradford has also developed a robust sculptural practice. Organized by independent curator Diana Nawi, ‘Los Angeles’ utilizes the first floor of the Long Museum’s cavernous galleries, including the first presentation of ‘Mithra’ (2008) outside of the United States, a large-scale sculpture the artist conceived for ‘Prospect.1’ in New Orleans, LA.
For the inaugural edition of Frieze Los Angeles, Mark Bradford has created an image of a police body camera isolated on a light-colored background. Entitled ‘Life Size’, this significant work comprises the powerful camera image presented on posters around the city, a large-scale billboard on location at Paramount Studios, as well as a limited-edition print series of the image, rendered into a 3-D sculptural work that is elevated from the print’s surface
The most important thing about Mark Bradford’s bravura, deeply felt presentation for the Venice Biennale’s United States pavilion is that the bright spotlight of the occasion reveals him to be that thing America can use right now: a new Very Important Artist.
*By submitting your email address, you consent to receive our Newsletter. Your consent is revocable at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our Newsletter. The Newsletter is sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy and to advertise products and services of Hauser & Wirth Ltd. and its affiliated companies.
