Julie Mehretu

At the age of six, Julie Mehretu (b. 1970) fled Ethiopia with
her family and resettled in the US – a formative experience
that deeply informs her work. Her monumental, disorient
ing paintings are composed of many layers of materials and
meaning, and chart a world in constant flux. In Düsseldorf,
visitors can explore these works alongside archival material
that reveals the source of her visual language.

“KAIROS / Hauntological Variations” features 25 paintings that measure up to 7.5 meters wide, range in date from 2001 to 2023, and show the chronological development of Mehretu’s work. The exhibition further dives into Mehretu’s conceptual thinking, showcasing works on paper and source material, which is exhibited alongside her works for the first time here. Also presented is time-based media made by Mehretu’s peers inspired by her practice: the documentary “Palimpsest” (2021), capturing Mehretu in her studio; a video work by filmmaker Trevor Tweeten based on the album “Promises” (2021) by Floating- Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra; and an album by jazz musician Jason Moran.