Choctaw artist Jeffrey Gibson confronts history at US pavilion as its first solo Indigenous artist

By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Jeffrey Gibson’s takeover of the U.S. pavilion for this year’s Venice Biennale contemporary art show is a celebration of color, pattern and craft. That’s immediately evident on approaching the bright red facade decorated by a colorful clash of geometry and a foreground dominated by a riot of gigantic red podiums. Gibson is a Mississippi Choctaw with Cherokee descent. He is the first Native American to represent the United States solo at the Venice Biennale. The last time Native American artists were included was in 1932. The 52-year-old Gibson accepts the weight of the honor. But he prefers to focus on how his participation can forge greater inclusion going forward.