UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The title, inspired by Layli Long Soldier’s poem Ȟe Sápa, an Oglala Lakota poet, indicates the conceptual core of the exhibition while also highlighting Jeffrey Gibson’s long-standing focus on written text. For both the indoor and outdoor spaces of the Pavilion, the artist creates a series of new works – sculptures, paintings, videos – incorporating the language of American institutional documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including constitutional amendments, laws, speeches, official correspondence, as well as song lyrics and musical references. Gibson’s inclusive approach, infused with a healing joy, attests to the influence and persistence of Native American cultures in the United States and around the world.