The Seasons Turn, 2021 by Idris Khan
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The Milwaukee Art Museum is preparing to host the first-ever museum exhibition in the United States dedicated solely to the work of London-based multidisciplinary artist Idris Khan. The exhibition, titled "Idris Khan: Repeat After Me," is set to take place in 2024, showcasing the artist's creative journey spanning more than two decades.
“Repeat After Me” looks to chronicle the evolution of Khan's practice over the years. From early monochromatic photographic works that capture the passage of time in still images to a fresh series of abstract watercolor compositions inspired by iconic paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries, the exhibition will offer a comprehensive exploration of his diverse body of work. Visitors can expect to observe paintings, photographic prints, watercolors, works on paper, sculpture and video, all of which delve into thought-provoking themes such of history, memory, time and more.
The exhibition will be hosted at the Milwaukee Art Museum's Baker/Rowland Galleries from April 5 to August 11, 2024. The museum's Donna and Donald Baumgartner Director, Marcelle Polednik, not only curated the exhibition but also expressed the museum's enthusiasm for providing a platform to showcase groundbreaking artists like Khan.
"Khan's practice encapsulates human experiences into images that are both tactile and conceptual, resonating with echoes and reverberations that offer an innovative perspective on the flow of time," said Polednik via statement. "With this exhibition, the Museum invites our community to engage with Khan's poetic vision of memory and history."
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Idris Khan's artistic journey began after graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2004. His early work, which involved digitally layering black-and-white photographs of well-known cultural artifacts, garnered international acclaim for its ghostly portrayal of the passage of time and the accumulation of memory. The exhibition's title, "Repeat After Me," holds significance as it references the central role of repetition and ritual in Khan's approach to image-making, a facet he traces back to his religious upbringing as a Muslim. These elements have remained integral as Khan's practice has grown to encompass new artistic mediums and draw inspiration from a wide array of cultural imagery and texts.
The exhibition will feature several highlights, including "every…Bernd & Hilla Becher Prison Type Gasholder, 2004," an early series of spectral homages to the influential German artist couple Bernd and Hilla Becher, showcasing Khan's fascination with appropriated imagery. Another notable piece is the triptych "A,D.959. B,D.960. C,D.958…after Franz Schubert, 2007," monumental prints that simultaneously erase Schubert's original sheet music while presenting it in its entirety in single images, showcasing Khan's enduring interest in music as a subject of artistic exploration.
Additionally, "The Four Seasons, 2021," a captivating grid of 28 vibrant watercolor and oil works, will collage fragments of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" sheet music with the artist's observations of the natural world's transformations throughout a year.
Among the many highlights, Khan will also unveil a new series of abstract watercolor compositions inspired by mass reproductions of iconic masterworks from the Renaissance to the 18th century. This series will underscore the increasing importance of color in Khan's artistic practice and represent an evolution in his career-long exploration of well-known cultural artifacts.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Milwaukee Art Museum will offer robust public programming, allowing visitors to delve deeper into Khan's artistry and creative process. A full-color, hardcover catalogue accompanying the exhibition will feature enlightening essays by curator Marcelle Polednik and esteemed art critic David Carrier. Furthermore, readers will gain insights from a conversation between Idris Khan and artist Edmund De Waal, providing invaluable context to the artist's work and inspirations.
The Milwaukee Art Museum eagerly anticipates the arrival of "Idris Khan: Repeat After Me," as it promises to be a transformative experience for visitors, offering a glimpse into the brilliant mind and artistic expression of a visionary artist. Find out more about the event at the Milwaukee Art Museum website.
