Ford Foundation Gives $1.1 Million To U.s. Pavilion At The 60th International Art Exhibition Of La Biennale Di Venezia In 2024 

Portland Art Museum in Oregon and SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico, the commissioning institutions of the U.S. Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, have announced that the Ford Foundation will serve as a presenting sponsor for artist Jeffrey Gibson's exhibition for the U.S. Pavilion, the space in which to place me, with a lead gift of $1.1 million. 

On view from April 20 through November 24, 2024, the space in which to place me is presented by PAM and SITE, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Celebrated for an artistic practice that combines American, Indigenous, and Queer histories with influences from music and pop culture, Gibson creates a dynamic visual language that invites deep reflection on identity, inspires empathy, and advocates for a widening of access to democracy and freedom for all. Gibson is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent. This exhibition represents the first major opportunity for audiences to experience his work outside of the U.S. and marks the first solo exhibition for an Indigenous artist representing the U.S. at the Biennale Arte. 

A global organization rooted in a vision of social justice, the Ford Foundation seeks to address and reduce inequality and build a future where people can live their lives full of dignity. The foundation upholds the idea that the arts help us understand our world, find purpose, and create meaningful connections, and supports organizations and initiatives to advance art and stories created by, told by, and grounded in diverse communities, with an emphasis on artist-driven projects. 

“We are thrilled to have the generous support of the Ford Foundation as we showcase Jeffrey's artistic vision for global audiences,” said Brian Ferriso, Director of the Portland Art Museum. “The Ford Foundation's work in amplifying diverse voices across the arts and culture that are truly representative of our country has been transformative, and we are grateful for their partnership in realizing Jeffrey's historic exhibition for the Biennale.”  

"For years, the Ford Foundation's history of support for the arts and the U.S. Pavilion has sought to expand our shared understanding of what is considered American art,” said Ford Foundation president Darren Walker. "Jeffrey Gibson's powerful work in this year's Biennale – and the connections he makes between Indigenous peoples across the globe as well as in the United States – is a beacon of hope that we are finally broadening the definitions of American art." 

“As an organization that is committed to strengthening diversity within artistic communities and lifting up underrepresented voices, the Ford Foundation is a natural partner for us in presenting the first solo exhibition by an Indigenous artist at the Biennale,” said Louis Grachos, Phillips Executive Director of SITE Santa Fe. “the space in which to place me, and Jeffrey's practice more broadly, demonstrate the ways in which art can deepen our understanding of identity and community, and promote meaningful inclusivity.”   

For the 2024 U.S. Pavilion, Gibson is activating the interior and exterior of the neoclassical building with a series of new and recent works, including sculpture, paintings on paper, video, and multimedia paintings. He also continues his long-held engagement with text, incorporating language from foundational American documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including constitutional amendments, legislation, speeches and official correspondence as well as song lyrics and musical references. Often pointing toward moments in history that were meant to spark change, Gibson's use of text encourages viewers to examine our past when considering the present. The project is commissioned by Kathleen Ash-Milby, Curator of Native American Art at the Portland Art Museum and a member of the Navajo Nation; Louis Grachos; and Abigail Winograd, independent curator, and is curated by Ash-Milby and Winograd. This exhibition is also the first to be commissioned and curated by a Native American curator.  

Jeffrey Gibson's exhibition for the U.S. Pavilion, the space in which to place me, is made possible by The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. Presenting Support is provided by the Ford Foundation and Mellon Foundation. Lead Support is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Major support is provided by Agnes Gund, Arison Arts Foundation, Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation, The Hearthland Foundation, Sotheby's, and the Terra Foundation for American Art. Generous support is provided by Becky and David Gochman, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, Lisa Domenico Brooke, The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, The Robert Lehman Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Sakana Foundation, the Schmidt Family Foundation and the Teiger Foundation. Essential support is provided by A&L Berg Foundation, David Bolger, Dior, Elysabeth Kleinhans, The George Economou Collection, Laura Donnelley, the Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Trust, Regina L. Aldisert, Roberts Projects, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., the Stephen Friedman Gallery, and the Trellis Art Fund.  

For more information on the 2024 U.S. Pavilion, please visit: www.jeffreygibsonvenice2024.org 

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

Jeffrey Gibson (born 1972) is an interdisciplinary artist. A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, Gibson grew up in major urban centers in the United States, Germany, and Korea. He received a bachelor of fine arts in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 and master of arts in painting at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1998. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Claremont Graduate University (2016) and the Institute of American Indian Arts (2023). He is currently an artist-in-residence at Bard College. 

Recent solo exhibitions include Jeffrey Gibson: DREAMING OF HOW IT'S MEANT TO BE (Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, 2024), Jeffrey Gibson: ANCESTRAL SUPERBLOOM (Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, 2023), This Burning World: Jeffrey Gibson (ICA San Francisco, 2022), Jeffrey Gibson: The Body Electric (SITE Santa Fe, 2022), Jeffrey Gibson: They Come From Fire (Portland Art Museum, 2022), Jeffrey Gibson: INFINITE INDIGENOUS QUEER LOVE (deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 2022), and Jeffrey Gibson: Like A Hammer (Denver Art Museum, 2018). 

Gibson has received many distinguished awards, including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters and Sculptors Grant (2012), and a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship Award (2019). Gibson also conceived of and co-edited the landmark volume An Indigenous Present (2023), which showcases diverse approaches to Indigenous concepts, forms, and media. His work is included in the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of Modern Art, New York; National Gallery of Canada; Portland Art Museum; Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; and Whitney Museum of American Art, among others. 

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