Mariane Ibrahim presents ‘Palimpsest,’ a summer group exhibition featuring works by various artists and historians, on display until August 24th.
‘Palimpsest’ explores the concept of the palimpsest, which involves reusing a manuscript to create a multilayered text with partially visible elements. The works reveal how history’s opacity filters into our lives, with memories known only through their lingering impressions.
Bethany Collins’s work critiques language’s limitations, while Zohra Opoku’s silkscreen compositions incorporate photography and suture details to capture her personal history. Michael Rakowitz’s series “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” reflects on the looting of the National Museum of Iraq following the 2003 U.S. invasion.
McArthur Binion’s “Handmadeness: four” offers an archaeological examination of his layered collages. Carmen Neely’s “subtle softening” showcases competing layers of transparency, while Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze’s works on paper juxtapose the fantastical elements with Edra Soto’s examinations of the lasting impacts of colonialism.
‘Palimpsest’ highlights the intricate relationship between visibility and concealment, memory and imagination, and prompts viewers to delve into how these overlapping historical layers influence personal and communal stories.
The Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, founded in Seattle seven years before, relocated to Chicago in 2019. Its first European branch opened in Paris in 2021 and a third in Mexico City in 2023. The gallery features artists from the African diaspora and partners with institutions worldwide.
Source: Mariane Ibrahim
