The major Lorna Simpson exhibition, Third Person, will be on display at Punta della Dogana from March 29th to November 22nd, 2026, offering a powerful new perspective on the artist’s evolving practice. Presented by the Pinault Collection and curated by Emma Lavigne, this exhibition is the first large-scale European survey dedicated to over a decade of Simpson’s painting, extending her legacy rooted in conceptual photography. The exhibition is made possible with the exclusive support of Bottega Veneta, reinforcing the ongoing dialogue between contemporary art and fashion.
Lorna Simpson exhibition: painting, memory, and image-making
Bringing together around fifty pieces spanning painting, collage, sculpture, installation and film, the exhibition is presented within architectural spaces reimagined by Tadao Ando. The scenography transforms the venue into cathedral-like, immersive environments of blue and monochrome tones, which amplify the emotional and conceptual depth of Simpson’s work.
Renowned for her pioneering role in conceptual photography, Simpson has long explored how identity, race, and gender are constructed through images. In Third Person, this exploration broadens to encompass painting, where layered compositions serve as visual narratives that are unstable, fragmented, and open to interpretation.
Conceptual photography and new directions in painting
There are several important artworks that are part of the exhibition. A series of Arctic landscapes reconstructed from historical expedition archives. These works immerse viewers in icy panoramas rendered in deep blues and silvery greys, where memory and fiction blur. By contrast, Simpson’s large-scale figurative paintings feature enigmatic female figures emerging from dense, almost abstract backgrounds, exploring themes of presence, visibility and representation.
Another highlight is a series of collage-based pieces created from archival images, in which fragments of visual culture are reassembled into new compositions. These pieces echo Simpson’s conceptual photography roots, questioning authorship and the reliability of images, and connecting past narratives with contemporary perspectives.
With newly commissioned works created specifically for Punta della Dogana, Third Person positions Lorna Simpson’s practice at the intersection of history, memory, and visual language, offering a compelling meditation on how images both shape and destabilise our understanding of the world.
Installation views, Lorna Simpson. Third Person, PALAZZO GRASSI in Venice /PINAULT COLLECTION, 2026
Courtesy of LORNA SIMPSON. Photography by JAMES WANG
