Sun Soaked September in Venice

Tucked away along a quiet street in the heart of “tourist-land” is the Victoria Miro Gallery. Currently on view is Californian artist, Doug Aitken with his exhibition, Microcosmos. Although the gallery space is small (compared with it’s London gallery), it perfectly compliments Aitken’s work. The light streaming in from the canal leaves reflections on his hanging textiles. Aitken has cut individual shards of varying fabrics in long vertical strips, which in situ, are comparable to ripples on water in the canal. The title of the exhibition, Microcosmos, could be interpreted as a response to the theme of the Venice Bienalle de Achitectura, “How Will We Live Together”? This group of hanging materials differ from his usual installation art, and I am told by one of the curators that this collection was a direct response to lockdown and critical events over the last year. Supposedly, his use of military fabric was intended to reflect a sense of resilience to the pandemic, alongside referencing the prevalent BLM movement in the US.

The target shaped textiles are eye-catching for their multi-coloured appearance, and the hand-cut precision of the individual fabrics, which from afar, have blurred lines. It reminds me of American Abstract Expressionist, Jasper Johns Target with Four Faces, from 1955, in its target shape and the use of both painting and sculpture.