Julie Mehretu

Julie Mehretu: Artist Profile

Biography

Julie Mehretu, born in 1970 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a contemporary artist known for her large-scale, abstract paintings and drawings. She moved to the United States with her family in 1977, and later studied at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she earned her BA in Art in 1992. Mehretu went on to receive her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1997. Her work often explores themes of urbanization, geopolitics, and social structures, incorporating architectural elements, maps, and historical events into her complex, layered compositions.

Important Works

• Stadia II (2004): A large-scale painting that combines architectural elements and intricate line work, Stadia II reflects the global reach of sporting events and their political, economic, and social implications.
• Mogamma, A Painting in Four Parts (2012): A series of four monumental paintings commissioned for dOCUMENTA (13) in Kassel, Germany, Mogamma explores the relationship between architecture, power, and protest, taking its title from a government building in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
• HOWL, eon (I, II) (2017): A diptych commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, HOWL, eon (I, II) combines abstract forms and historical references to explore the American landscape and its complex histories.

Exhibitions

Julie Mehretu’s work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. Some notable exhibitions include:

• Julie Mehretu: Drawing into Painting (2003): A solo exhibition at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, which showcased her large-scale paintings and intricate drawings.
• Julie Mehretu: City Sitings (2009): A solo exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, which featured a series of works that explore the architectural, social, and political landscapes of urban environments.
• Julie Mehretu: A Decade of Painting (2019): A major retrospective organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, which traveled to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What art movement did Julie Mehretu influence?

A: Julie Mehretu’s work defies easy categorization within a specific art movement, but her abstract paintings and drawings have made a significant impact on the contemporary art world. Her unique approach to abstraction incorporates elements of cartography, architectural renderings, and historical events, influencing other artists working in similar fields.

Q: What techniques does Julie Mehretu use?

A: Julie Mehretu uses a range of techniques in her work, including drawing, painting, and printmaking. She often builds up layers of acrylic paint, ink, and graphite on canvas, incorporating architectural elements, maps, and other visual references to create complex, multi-layered compositions.

Q: What style of art is Julie Mehretu?

A: Julie Mehretu’s artwork can be described as a unique form of abstract expressionism. Her style is characterized by intricate, layered compositions that incorporate architectural elements, maps, and other visual references to explore themes of urbanization, geopolitics, and social structures.

Q: Is Julie Mehretu an abstract artist?

A: Yes, Julie Mehretu is an abstract artist. Her work is characterized by complex, multi-layered compositions that incorporate architectural elements, maps, and other visual references to create abstract images that explore themes of urbanization, geopolitics, and social structures.