Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Source Notes marks a significant moment in Lorna Simpson’s artistic journey, highlighting a decade of her painting practice that extends her incisive explorations of identity and representation. Transitioning from her pioneering conceptual photography of the 1980s, Simpson's recent works incorporate screen-printed collages using imagery sourced from vintage Ebony and Jet magazines, as well as archives from the Associated Press and the Library of Congress. These found images—her "source notes"—are layered with washes of ink and acrylic on materials like fiberglass, wood, and clayboard, creating compositions where figures emerge and dissolve within abstract landscapes.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents Lorna Simpson: Source Notes, the first exhibition to survey the artist’s painting practice comprehensively. On view from May 19 to November 2, 2025, this landmark showcase features over 30 works, including pieces from Simpson’s acclaimed Venice Biennale debut and her celebrated Special Characters series. The exhibition delves into themes of race, gender, identity, and history through Simpson's innovative fusion of figuration and abstraction.
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