KAIROS / Hauntological Variations

The Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu (b. 1970, Addis Ababa) is one of the most influential painters working today.  This first mid-career survey in Germany presents nearly 100 works expressing the full range of Mehretu’s practice, from her early, urban-inspired line drawings of the 1990s to her most recent, spectacular abstract paintings. Also included is time-based media inspired by Mehretu’s work, such as a music album, documentary, and video work. The exhibition also details Mehretu's creative process. She often begins with media images of political events and historical sites which are translated into abstract compositions layered with notations, overpaintings, and maskings. With a selection of Mehretu's source material and works on paper, some of which have never been shown before, the K21 exhibition contextualizes the conceptual thinking  behind the artist’s work. 
 

Organized by Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, in collaboration with Pinault Collection, following the exhibition “Julie Mehretu. Ensemble”, presented at the Palazzo Grassi (Venice) in 2024.