Lorna Simpson takes Venice by storm with ‘Third Person’

Venice is one of those cities that seems never to change — and precisely for that reason invites constant rediscovery. This spring offers a compelling occasion: at Punta della Dogana, American artist Lorna Simpson presents Third Person, her most comprehensive exhibition in Europe in over a decade.

Presented by the Pinault Collection and supported by Bottega Veneta, the exhibition brings together works from different phases of Simpson’s career. Having risen to prominence in the 1990s with conceptual photography, she now reveals a significantly expanded artistic vocabulary in Venice. Alongside photographic works, visitors encounter large-scale paintings, collages, and works on paper.

Many of the more recent pieces are rendered in cool tones of blue and grey, entering into a subtle yet powerful dialogue with the restrained architecture of Tadao Ando. Simpson draws on historical imagery from magazines such as Ebony and Jet, recontextualizing these visual fragments to explore themes of identity, memory, and the ways in which images are read across time. The exhibition does not rely on immediate visual impact. Instead, it unfolds through detail, repetition, and rupture — an approach that resonates particularly well within the rigorously structured spaces of Punta della Dogana. Bottega Veneta’s involvement goes beyond a conventional partnership. The house maintains a deep connection to Venice and has long supported cultural initiatives in the city. Major solo exhibitions by Lorna Simpson have been rare in Europe in recent years. Third Person makes it all the more evident how consistently her work has evolved — and how urgently relevant her themes remain today.

• Title: Lorna Simpson. Third Person
• Location: Punta della Dogana, Venice (Pinault Collection)
• Dates: March 29, 2026 – November 22, 2026
• Opening Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Tuesdays)
• Background: Developed in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the exhibition brings together around 50 works from the past 30 years, including new pieces conceived specifically for the Venetian space.

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