The Fundació Antoni Tàpies explores the work of artist Kerry James Marshall

While his work is evidence of what the artist calls a ‘vacuum in the image bank’, questioning existing systems of legitimation, his painting goes beyond denunciation. Technically complex and risky in the invention of new images that contribute to filling this vacuum, Marshall finds as much inspiration in popular culture – the cinema, and especially the comic – as in art. The scope of the exhibition at the Fundació Antoni Tàpies is complemented by the artist’s vast personal collection of image cuttings that form a reservoir of references on black representation in art and wider culture. The artist’s interest in these images is evidently not just a matter of formal representation or even narrative. For Marshall, the breadth of visual media he uses also has a speculative dimension – image-making becomes a site to ask some of art’s most profound and enduring questions. The exhibition is divided between two venues. At the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid) there is a focus on historical works and paintings, while the Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Barcelona) includes more recent works, not only in painting but also in other media such as drawing, photography, video and installation. Exhibition Web Opening: 10 june 2014 at 19.30 h. Credit image: Kerry James Marshall, Nude ( Spotlight ), 2009. Courtesy of Defares Collection, Netherlands.