Khalif Tahir Thompson: Send in the Clowns
À propos de l’exposition
Victoria Miro is delighted to present Send in the Clowns, an exhibition of new paintings by Khalif Tahir Thompson. This is the gallery’s first solo presentation of Thompson’s work since announcing representation of the artist.
Born and based in Brooklyn, Khalif Tahir Thompson invites viewers into the everyday lives of his subjects through vibrant domestic scenes, full of texture and pattern that create an expansive form of portraiture, both individual and collective, weaving through time.
Send in the Clowns takes its title from the 1973 theatrical ballad written by Stephen Sondheim and famously sung by Jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughn. ‘The phrase “send in the clowns” is a metaphor for bringing in comedic relief or distractions when a plan fails or a situation turns chaotic,’ says Thompson. ‘For me, it resonates deeply: it reflects the layered facets of my life and experiences, the ways we deploy humour to mask vulnerability, and it speaks to how I respond to tragedy.’
‘Send in the Clowns is a love letter to my younger self, my journey as an artist, and Brooklyn. It encompasses what I value in painting and how it allowed me to reflect on important experiences and honour the people I hold so dear.’
– Khalif Tahir Thompson
The exhibition is accompanied by new writing on the artist by Jessica Lynne; excerpts are featured below.
