JEFFREY GIBSON IN LOS ANGELES: A KALEIDOSCOPE OF IDENTITY AND RESISTANCE
The Broad Museum is set to present Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me, a special exhibition showcasing the artist’s multidimensional work. Adapted from its original presentation at the U.S. Pavilion at the 60th Biennale in 2024, this exhibition marks a historic moment—Gibson was the first Indigenous artist to represent the United States with a solo exhibition.
This will be Gibson’s first single-artist museum exhibition in Southern California. Running from May 10 to September 28, 2025, it will be displayed in The Broad’s first-floor galleries. Gibson’s distinctive use of geometric design and saturated colors, along with references to foundational American documents and modern music, critiques systemic injustices while envisioning a more equitable future.
The title of the exhibition, the space in which to place me, is borrowed from Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s poem “Ȟe Sápa,” which explores Indigeneity through a geometric format. Gibson similarly delves into the experience of belonging, presenting ten paintings, seven sculptures, eight flags, three murals, and a video installation. His work transforms the museum’s galleries into vibrant, kaleidoscopic environments.
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Details of Jeffrey Gibson, BIRDS FLYING HIGH YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL, 2024, mural, acrylic on Polytab, 12 ft. 6 ¾ in. × 26 ft. 5 ¾ in. (382.9 × 807.1 cm)
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Jeffrey Gibson. WE ARE MADE BY HISTORY, 2024. Mural: acrylic on Polytab; 12 ft. 6 ¾ in. × 26 ft. 5 ¾ in. (382.9 × 807.1 cm)
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Jeffrey Gibson. PAST + FUTURE = PRESENT; PRAY REJOICE DANCE SING; ONE BECOMES THE OTHER; THE BODY REMEMBERS; BORN OF THE EARTH ON WHICH WE STAND; MORE COLORS THAN THE EYE CAN SEE; EVERY BODY IS SACRED; POWERFUL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT, 2024. Polyester duck flags with metal grommets, installed on wooden tipi poles; each: 129 ⅝ × 97 ¼ in. (329.3 × 246.9 cm)
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Jeffrey Gibson. the space in which to place me, 2024. Interactive sculpture: concrete, paint, fiberglass, polystyrene foam, steel; 10 ft. × 18 ft. 4 in. × 17 ft. 7 ¾ in. (304.8 × 558.8 × 537.8 cm)
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Jeffrey Gibson. The Enforcer, 2024. Ceramic, glass beads, plastic beads, nylon grosgrain ribbon, tin jingles, nylon thread, canvas, acrylic felt, cold-rolled mild steel, steel plate; 84 × 40 × 24 in. (213.4 × 101.6 × 61 cm)
A significant addition to The Broad’s collection is Gibson’s 2024 painting, THE RETURNED MALE STUDENT FAR TOO FREQUENTLY GOES BACK TO THE RESERVATION AND FALLS INTO THE OLD CUSTOM OF LETTING HIS HAIR GROW LONG. First exhibited at the Venice Biennale, this piece incorporates Gibson’s signature patterned text, radiant color, and glass beads.
Gibson’s artistic practice honors individuals and communities who have preserved their dignity and traditions against great odds. His work positions him within art histories that have often excluded Native artists, aligning him with postwar painters and printmakers such as Corita Kent, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Andy Warhol. By employing recognizable language and imagery, he challenges viewers to reconsider their associations and assumptions.
Born in Colorado in 1972, Jeffrey Gibson is an interdisciplinary artist and a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, with Cherokee heritage. He earned his BFA in painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995 and an MA in painting from the Royal College of Art in London in 1998. Throughout his career, Gibson has explored themes of cultural authenticity, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ identities, and the ways aesthetics circulate among diverse communities. His use of vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and found objects creates a unique visual language that celebrates interconnectedness and assemblage.
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