Julie Mehretu
Ethiopia/USA | Painting, Drawing
Large-scale abstract paintings that blend architecture, cartography, and cultural history.
Exhibitions
Julie Mehretu: Gray Area
2010 - Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
A solo exhibition featuring a series of large-scale paintings commissioned by Deutsche Bank, exploring the aftermath of urban demolition and renewal.
Liminal Squared
2013 - White Cube, London, UK
This solo exhibition featured new works that continue Mehretu's exploration of architectural forms and the impact of sociopolitical events on urban spaces.
Julie Mehretu: A Universal History of Everything and Nothing
2013 - Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, USA
A solo exhibition that presented large abstract works, blending layers of architectural drawings, city plans, and abstract forms to reflect on global histories and contemporary events.
Julie Mehretu (Retrospective)
2020 - LACMA, Los Angeles, USA & Whitney Museum, New York, USA
A comprehensive retrospective that spanned over two decades of Mehretu's work, showcasing her evolution from smaller scale works to monumental canvases, exploring themes of migration, revolution, and social change.
Cairo: Projections
2013 - Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, UAE
A large-scale installation that reflected Mehretu's engagement with the Arab Spring and other global uprisings, using abstract forms to convey the chaos and energy of social movements.
In Line: Julie Mehretu Drawings
2018 - SFMOMA, San Francisco, USA
Focused on Mehretu's drawing practice, this exhibition highlighted the artist's process of layering lines and forms to create complex, dynamic compositions.
Julie Mehretu: A Universal History of Everything and Nothing
2013 - Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, USA
A major solo exhibition showcasing Mehretu's intricate abstract works that blend architectural drawings, city plans, and historical references to reflect on global histories and contemporary socio-political issues.
Grey Area
2010 - Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, Germany
A solo exhibition that featured a series of large-scale paintings commissioned by Deutsche Bank, exploring themes of urban landscapes, architecture, and the impact of war and conflict on the built environment.
Retrospective
2021 - Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, USA & Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA
A comprehensive retrospective that traveled between several major institutions, covering over two decades of Mehretu's work, exploring themes of migration, revolution, and social change through her monumental canvases.
Cairo: Projections
2013 - Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, UAE
An exhibition that featured Mehretu's large-scale installations reflecting on the Arab Spring and other global uprisings, using abstract forms to convey the chaos and energy of social movements.
The Future is Now
2015 - The Broad, Los Angeles, USA
Group exhibition where Mehretu's work was featured among other contemporary artists, focusing on how artists use abstraction to comment on modernity, technology, and the rapidly changing world.
City Sitings
2007 - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
A solo exhibition that explored the intersection of personal and public histories through large-scale paintings and prints, with a focus on urban environments and their relation to contemporary social dynamics.
"Julie Mehretu: Grey Area"
2010 - Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, Germany
A solo exhibition featuring a series of large-scale paintings commissioned by Deutsche Bank. These works explore themes of urban landscapes, architecture, and the socio-political implications of space, particularly in the context of Berlin's history.
"Julie Mehretu: A Universal History of Everything and Nothing"
2013 - Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, USA
A solo exhibition showcasing Mehretu’s intricate abstract works that blend architectural drawings, city plans, and historical references. The exhibition reflects on global histories, contemporary socio-political issues, and the complexities of urban life.
"Julie Mehretu" (Retrospective)
2020 - LACMA, Los Angeles, USA & Whitney Museum, New York, USA
A major retrospective that covered over two decades of Mehretu’s work. The exhibition included her early drawings, prints, and monumental canvases, focusing on themes of migration, revolution, and social change.
"Cairo: Projections"
2013 - Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah, UAE
A solo exhibition that featured Mehretu’s large-scale installation reflecting on the Arab Spring and other global uprisings, using abstract forms to convey the chaos and energy of social movements.
"In Line: Julie Mehretu Drawings"
2018 - SFMOMA, San Francisco, USA
A solo exhibition focused on Mehretu’s drawing practice, highlighting her process of layering lines and forms to create complex, dynamic compositions. The exhibition explored how her drawings relate to her larger paintings and the thematic connections between them.
"City Sitings"
2007 - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, USA
A solo exhibition where Mehretu’s large-scale paintings and prints explored the intersection of personal and public histories, with a focus on urban environments and their relation to contemporary social dynamics.