jimmie durham
1940, United States - 2021, Berlin
In his artistic research, Jimmie Durham was interested in what happens “away from language”, in the relationship between forms and concepts. Working against Western Rationalism, his practice was rooted in uncertainty and paradox. Durham created in an array of mediums: drawings, installations, video (which he used to document his performances), and sculptural constructions often combined with written messages, photographs and objects. Covering a broad range of subject matter in artworks —as well as in essays and poetry— his production was often laced with the agility of wordplay, a dry, highly critical humor and, above all, insight. He consistently addressed the political and cultural forces that construct our contemporary discourses, the history of oppression, the futility of violence and the powerlessness of the minorities in the world. Jimmie Durham worked with both natural and artificial materials, and was particularly drawn to the intrinsic qualities of those that have been used throughout history as tools: stone, wood, bone, iron and glass. Stone was a primary material for Durham due to its role in defining power dynamics of culture and society through architecture and ideas of monumentality; he used it to underscore the polemics of nature vs. culture, religion, architecture, and Eurocentric ideas of history.
Jimmie Durham moved to Geneva in 1969 and enrolled in the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts where he worked on sculpture and performance. In 1973 he moved back to the U.S. and became involved in the American Indian Movement as director of the International Indian Treaty Council and its representative before the United Nations, thus becoming the first official representative of a minority within this organization. In 1980, he focused his attention back to art, but remained concerned with dismantling stereotypes of American Indians that had been widely accepted and disseminated in American culture: a theme he returns to in many of his essays. Durham gained notoriety within the New York art scene, but found his work was seen as “Indian art” and failed to encourage fundamental —political or artistic— discussions about how American Indian history and culture have been misrepresented by others. Disappointed by this misunderstanding and by the American government’s intractable policies regarding the Indian movement, he left the U.S. in 1987 and moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico, until he returned to Europe in 1994.
Jimmie Durham passed away in Berlin in late 2021.
la malinche, 1988-1991
wood, cotton, snakeskin, watercolor, polyester, metal
66.1 x 22 x 33.1 in.
a dead deer, 1986
skull, bone, wood, paint, plastic, string
47.2 x 28.3 x 5.5 in.
pallas athena, 2008
mixed media
96.46 x 57.09 x 35.43 in.
mulholland drive, 2007
horse skull, mixed media
88.6 x 70.9 x 43.3 in.
untitled, 1992
acrylic on canvas, plywood
30.7 x 32.6 in.
self-portrait pretending to be a stone statue of myself, 2006
photograph
variable dimensions
painted self-portrait, 2007
acrylic and marker on color photograph
30.71 x 22.83 in.
self-portrait pretending to be maria thereza alves as terminator 2, 1995-2006
color photograph
31.7x 23.9 in.
a staff to mark the center of the world at the gwangju biennale, 2004
multi-media
78.7 x 3.9 in. each
red granite and grey cristalina granite, 1971
red and gray granite
4.72 x 22.68 in.
the center of the world at chalma, 1997
production documentation, at porin taidemuseo, porin, finland, 1997
i will try to explain, 1970-2012
wood, metal, cat fur, leather
variable dimensions
st. frigo, 1996
documentation of action, at frac, champagne-ardenne, rheims, france, 1996
st. frigo, 1996
refrigerator
51.97 x 23.62 x 23.62 in.
this is a stone from the mountain, this is a stone from the red palace, 1992
sandstone
16.54 x 15.75 x 18.9 in. each
a stone from metternich's house in bohemia, 1996
documentation of action, as part of der verführer und der steinerne gast, wittgenstein house, vienna, 1996
a stone from metternich's house in bohemia, 1996
production shots from action at der verführer und der steinerne gast
solo exhibition at wittgenstein house, vienna, 1996
encore tranquilité, 2008
airplane, stone, chains
59.06 x 338.58 x 338.58 in.
upon reflection, i was no longer sure of my position, 2009
obsidian, german silver (copper, zinc, and nickel), steel table, obsidian mirror with colored tin frame
variable dimensions
xitle and spirit, 2007
car, volcanic stone, acrylic paint
variable dimensions
untitled (the penis mightier), 2007
graphite pencil on acid free cotton paper
triptych, 30.31 x 22.83 in. each
untitled (the penis might), 2007
graphite on cotton paper
30.31 x 22.83 in. each
azurite, calcite, quartz, 1998
oil, stones, marker on painted wood
51.18 x 35.43 in. each
brazilian bloodstone, 1997
stone, orange, graphite on wood
32.68 x 47.24 x 3.15 in.
in a cabin in the woods, 2010
deer skin, wood, felt
59.06 x 27.56 x 12.99 in.
drawing performance in la leçon d'anatomie (a progress report), 1996
documentation of action, at frac champagne-ardenne, rheims, france, 1996
le lesson d'anatomie no. 4, 1996
cotton shirt, artist's hair, mud, dirt and white glue
29.53 x 26.38 x 1.18 in.
smashing, 2004
digital video transferred to DVD
1 hr, 31 min, 52 sec.
a project for the tree at potolice, 2000
installation view of construction in process, potolice, poland, 2000
garcon, garou, gargouille, 1994
papier maché, PVC pipe, leather
59 x 39 in.
sweet light crude, 2008
twenty five oil barrels
variable dimensions
elsa, 2003
installation view of arte all’arte, puente de san marziale, colle di val d’elsa, italy, 2003
elsa, 2003
installation view of arte all’arte, puente de san marziale, colle di val d’elsa, italy, 2003
the names of the team of scientists who submitted an article on the human chromosome 14 in nature magazine, february, 2003, 2003
mixed media
51.2 x 39.4 in.
hommage à filiou, 2003
purpurin and oil on pine wood
39.37 x 29.53 x 12.99 in.
hommage à filiou, 2003
purpurin and oil on pine wood
39.37 x 29.53 x 12.99 in.
homage to luis buñuel, 2012
mixed-media installation
variable dimensions
various elements from the actual world, 2009
mixed media
98.43 x 118.11 in.
ok! look, 2009
graphite on cotton paper
31.89 x 24.02 in.
from serie of drawings, 1998
graphite
variable dimensions
a line of graphite beginning on the left side, 2009
graphite on cotton paper
31.89 x 24.02 in.
installation view of traces and shiny evidence, parasol unit, london, 2014
Jimmie Durham had his first solo show in 1965; ever since he has had many important solo exhibitions: De Durham a Xico: El legado como herramienta del tiempo. Seis ejercicios sobre el territorio, Galería Xico Arte, Museo Comunitario del Valle de Xico and arte UNAM, Mexico City (2023); Jimmie Durham: humanity is not a completed project, Madre · museo d’arte contemporanea Donnaregina, Naples, Italy (2022); The beneficial catastrophe of art, Fondazione Morra Greco, Naples, Italy (2019); Jimmie Durham: At the Center of the World, Remai Modern, Saskatoon, Canada (2018), Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2017-2018), Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2017), The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, United States (2017); Evidence, Mönchehaus Museum Goslar, Germany (2017); Jimmie Durham: God’s Children, God’s Poem, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich, Switzerland (2017); Jimmie Durham. Sound and Silliness, MAXXI Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Rome (2016); Jimmie Durham: Various Items and Complaints, Serpentine Gallery, London (2015); Venice: Objects, Work and Tourism, Museo della Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice (2015); Jimmie Durham, Here at the Center, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.), Berlin (2015); Traces and Shiny Evidence, Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art, London (2014); A Machine Needs Instructions As a Garden Needs Discipline, MARCO Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo, Spain (2013); A Matter of Life and Death and Singing, M HKA- Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, Belgium (2012); Jimmie Durham, Fondazione Morra Greco, Naples, Italy (2012); Rocks Encouraged, Portikus, Frankfurt, Germany (2010); Pierres rejetées..., Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris (2009); Jimmie Durham, Madre · museo d’arte contemporanea Donnaregina, Naples, Italy (2008); Jimmie Durham: Essence, de Pury & Luxembourg (Phillips), Zurich, Switzerland (2007); The Imaginary Number, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2006); From the West Pacific to the East Atlantic, Musée d'Art Contemporain [mac], Marseille, France (2003); Between the Furniture and the Building (Between a Rock and a Hard Place), Kunstverein München, Munich, Germany (1998); The Center of the World, Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art, Middelburg, The Netherlands (1995); Original Re-Runs, BOZAR - Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium (1993), among many others.
His work has also been included in group exhibitions such as: Colección Jumex: Todo se vuelve más ligero, Museo Jumex, Mexico City (2023); En el jardín: Colección Isabel y Agustín Coppel, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey (MARCO), Mexico (2023); Potential Worlds 2: Eco-Fictions, Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, Zurich (2020); On the spiritual matter of Art, Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo (MAXXI), Rome (2019); Soil and Stones, Souls and Songs, Para Site, Hong Kong (2017), Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok, Thailand (2017), Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD), Manila, Philippines (2016); The Absent Museum, WIELS, Contemporary Art Centre, Brussels (2017); Whither the Winds, Lund Konsthall, Sweden (2017); A Sense of History, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.), Berlin (2016); Surrealism: The Conjured Life, MCA- The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, United States (2015); Rights of Nature, Nottingham Contemporary, United Kingdom (2015); America is Hard to See, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2015); Existential Visual Worlds: Reinking Collection, Weserburg, Bremen, Germany (2014); Advance through Retreat, Rockbund Art Museum (RAM), Shanghai (2014); What Models Can Do, Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen, Germany (2014); Yes, Naturally, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague, The Netherlands (2013); Project XXII, Madre · museo d’arte contemporanea Donnaregina, Naples, Italy (2013); In the Holocene, MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, United States (2012); Nouvelle présentation des collections contemporaines des années 1960 à nos jours, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2011); On Rage, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Berlin (2010); Faux Jumeaux 15, S.M.A.K.- Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst Gent, Belgium (2009); Transmission Interrupted, Modern Art Oxford, United Kingdom (2009); Experiment Marathon Reykjavik, Reykjavík Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir, Iceland (2008), and Tiempo al tiempo/Taking Time, MARCO Museo de Arte Contemporánea de Vigo, Spain (2007), among others.
Durham has also participated in the following biennials: 58th Venice Biennale (2019); La triennale des 50JPG, Geneva, Switzerland (2016); Sharjah Biennial 12, United Arab Emirates (2015); 7th Moscow International Biennale of Contemporary Art (2015); Whitney Biennial, New York (2014, 2006, and 1993, respectively); 55th, 51st, 50th, 49th, and 48th Venice Biennial, Italy (2012, 2005, 2003, 2001 and 1999, respectively); 5. and 13. İstanbul Bienali, Turkey (1998 and 2013); dOCUMENTA (13) and XI, Kassel, Germany (2012 and 1992, respectively); 2010 SeMA Biennale Mediacity Seoul, South Korea; 29a Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil (2010); 1st Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Yekaterinburg, Russia (2010); Manifesta 7, Trento, Italy (2008); Taipei Biennial 2012, Taiwan; 14th Biennale of Sydney, Australia (2004); 5th Gwangju Biennale, South Korea (2004); and Yokohama Triennale 2001, Japan.
two solo exhibitions open in naples on december 22, 2022
documenta fifteen presents jimmie durham & a stick in the forest by the side of the road
Read the full review on Jimmie Durham's passing at the New York Times.
Read the full review on the new artist list for Documenta 2022, including participant Jimmie Durham at Art Review.
Labinac's exhibition opening is tomorrow! The design collective composed by Jimmie Durham and Maria Thereza Alves will showcase limited edition design pieces and a special site-specific installation at the Royal Gardens in Venice.
Jimmie Durham & Haegue Yang talk in an all in-conversation exclusively for kurimanzutto's Art Basel: Pioneers Online Viewing Room.
Haegue Yang selects a number of works by the artist, poet, author, essayist and political activist, Jimmie Durham.
Watch a selection of Jimmie Durham video performances.
Jimmie Durham & Haegue Yang participate in Tate Modern's Room 6 and 9 Displays: Materials and Objects.
Although the works on display were made in the late 1980s and early 1990s—a period of dissent against decades of conservative government in the United States—the concerns they raise remain urgent.
kurimanzutto is proud to participate in Art Basel OVR: Miami Beach 2020 featuring a selection of works by: Gabriel Orozco, Nairy Baghramian, Haegue Yang, Jimmie Durham, Damián Ortega, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Carlos Amorales, Roberto Gil de Montes, Wilfredo Prieto, Miguel Calderón.
Potential Worlds 2: Eco-Fictions inquires into the potential worlds that might emerge from the ruins of humanity’s making
Watch the online conversation with renowned artist and activist Jimmie Durham and culture advisor Michela Bondardo published by the National Arts Club.
Read the poem written by Jimmie Durham during Covid-19 quarantine.
Listen to the playlist Jimmie Durham's ipod by Jimmie Durham on Spotify.
Inspired by José Saramago’s The year of the death of Ricardo Reis, the works in the exhibition include quotes from the book that, typed or handwritten, are individually integrated into each piece.
"I have nominated Jimmie Durham for the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of the 58th International Art Exhibition based on his remarkable accomplishments as an artist over the past six decades, and in particular for making art that is at once critical, humorous and profoundly humanistic."
Jimmie Durham questions current standards of human - animal relations.
As part of its series of new digital initiatives, the New Museum presents Bedtime Stories, a project initiated by the artist Maurizio Cattelan in which different artists are invited to read a selection from their favorite book.
