Doug Aitken: I don’t exist
Doug Aitken: I don’t exist
I don't exist, Doug Aitken's first solo show in the UK since exhibiting at the Serpentine Gallery in 2001 features the London premiere of the video installation interiors, lightboxes from Aitken's plateau trilogy and a radical new photographic sculpture.
The artist has said of interiors, " I wanted to make a series of stories all set in different locations throughout the world, from scenes in Tokyo high-rises to vast helicopter factories, or ghetto streets. In each location we follow an individual, each person very disparate and isolated in their separate environments, but at a certain fleeting moment their stories begin to collide into a single collective synchronicity. Sound and image suddenly lock and merge, generating a momentary sense of order in the chaos. Through polyrhythmic moments the stories merge as one unified fast moving amplified "post-pop" moment. They then collide just as quickly and break apart again in their separate paths."
Viewers will navigate a cruciform structure of translucent screens on which four non-linear stories are projected on a loop, three at a time on three screens, the segments moving in clockwise fashion and creating a 360 degree experience. Scenes are endlessly introduced in changing order, emphasising the fractured narrative and creating a grey area between repetition and individuality. In each case the isolated and very particular inner life of each protagonist - a young woman playing handball, a man rapping to himself in the streets of LA (André Benjamin from Outkast), a technician tap dancing in a helicopter factory and a Japanese auctioneer rapid-firing words in a trance like state - is set against the cold post modern wastelands and faceless features of the built urban environment. The disparate filmic narratives and scenes are eventually unified through a fusion of visuals and sound.
The lightboxes forming the plateau series present three futuristic versions of a sprawling fictional metropolis where identity is lost in a barrage of corporate branding. Human presence has been eradicated and we are left only with birds who are the sole nomadic messengers and squatters in a meta-civilisation. Constructed entirely out of packaging from four of the world's foremost and instantly recognizable logos - FedEx, IBM, Macintosh and Coca Cola - the buildings depicted present disorientating and impossible perspectives, a labyrinthine and fragmentary space without clear definition, where structures move in an endless grid-like formation. The new photographic work - a perspex construction in space - acts as an anchor for the show, solidifying in sculptural form Aitken's views on the fragmentary nature of perception.
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Exhibition
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September 11 2024
Doug Aitken: Naked City at Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul
This monographic exhibition (14 September 2024-17 August 2025) invites visitors to the world of Aitken’s mastery in utilising various mediums to create immersive artworks that mirror the rhythm of the environment around them. Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul -
Exhibition
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February 21 2024
Extended to June 2024 – Doug Aitken: Return to the Real at Schauwerk Sindelfingen
The exhibition (24 September 2023–16 June 2024) comprises ten works from the past fifteen years and includes installation, sculpture and moving image. Sindelfingen, German -
Exhibition
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August 9 2022
Doug Aitken: Flags and Debris at The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
The exhibition (9 August–31 December 2022) weaves together sights and feelings that the Covid-19 pandemic produced as it left its mark on urban activity, on the body, and on the human spirit. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem -
News story
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February 15 2022
Now live – Doug Aitken: Open
Victoria Miro (London), 303 Gallery (New York), Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zürich), and Regen Projects (Los Angeles) are pleased to announce a joint presentation of the new virtual reality exhibition by Doug Aitken, Open, exclusively on Vortic. -
Exhibition
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October 19 2021
Doug Aitken: New Era at MCA Sydney
This survey exhibition (20 October 2021–06 February 2022) features installations, objects, photographs, and vast immersive multi-screen environments that envelop visitors within a kaleidoscope of moving imagery and sound. MCA Sydney -
Commission
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July 15 2021
Doug Aitken: Green Lens opens in Venice
Located on the island of Isola della Certosa, Green Lens is a living experiential artwork and destination. From the exterior it creates a choreography of changing reflections of clouds, mist and wild green vegetation. As day turns to night Green Lens glows and becomes a kinetic light sculpture and sound composition. Isola della Certosa, Venice, Italy -
News
Posted
July 15 2021
Doug Aitken: Flags and Debris to receive its European premiere as part of Biennale Danza, 15th International Festival of Contemporary Dance
In Aitken’s video Flags and Debris, pulses of electricity merge with the human heartbeat and move through a landscape that is expansive and anonymous. Set against the backdrop of an unrecognisably empty Los Angeles, filmed during periods of lockdown in 2020, unseen members of the Los Angeles Dance Project move, ghost-like underneath Aitken’s textile works. Venice, Italy -
Exhibition
Posted
August 19 2020
Carnegie Museum of Art’s online exhibition series continues with Doug Aitken’s migration
The Open Museum, 19 August–15 Nov 2020: The Carnegie Museum of Art launches its free online exhibition screening of 'migration' from its collection. Carnegie Museum of Art -
Event
Posted
February 12 2020
Song Mirror, a performance inside Doug Aitken’s Mirage Gstaad
Taking place on Saturday 29 February 2020, Song Mirror is a new musical performance composed by Doug Aitken that will be performed live by six vocalists from the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Gstaad, Switzerland -
Interview
Posted
November 15 2019
Doug Aitken talks to LA Magazine as he is awarded the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Alumni Award from ArtCenter College of Design
'I’m personally very addicted to what hasn’t existed! If I can put my energy to what doesn’t exist yet, that’s my goal.’ Merle Ginsberg -
Interview
Posted
October 27 2019
Doug Aitken talks to Dezeen about Return to the Real
'For me, return to the real is very much a modern portrait – it's a modern landscape and a portrait of the individual, now…' Natashah Hitti, Dezeen -
Interview
Posted
October 10 2019
Read Doug Aitken’s interview in Wallpaper*, which explores the making of new works for his current Victoria Miro exhibition and includes an 18-page journey into Americana
‘I always see art as a necessity. You make it because it has to be made’ Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, Wallpaper* -
Channel
October 2 2019
Doug Aitken: Return to the Real
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Exhibition
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October 2 2019
Doug Aitken features in TRANSFORMER: A Rebirth Of Wonder at 180 The Strand
Aitken’s New Era, 2018, is featured in The Store x The Vinyl Factory exhibition TRANSFORMER: The Rebirth Of Wonder at 180 Strand, curated by Jefferson Hack (2 October–8 December 2019). 180 The Strand, London -
Channel
October 1 2019
Doug Aitken: Inside Out
A preview of Doug Aitken's exhibition Return to the Real at Victoria Miro. -
Channel
October 1 2019
Doug Aitken: Slow Wave
A preview of Doug Aitken's exhibition Return to the Real at Victoria Miro. -
Channel
October 1 2019
Doug Aitken: All Doors Open
A preview of Doug Aitken's exhibition Return to the Real at Victoria Miro. -
Interview
Posted
October 1 2019
Doug Aitken talks to Wallpaper* on the eve of his exhibition Return to the Real and an exclusive collaboration in the magazine’s forthcoming issue
‘It’s a counterpoint to that world of de-materiality and speed… and about seeking something which is unique or being in a place which is physical and tactile or a moment which is unrepeatable.’ Nick Compton, Wallpaper* -
Exhibition
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September 7 2019
Doug Aitken: Sonic Mountain (Sonoma) is unveiled at The Donum Estate, California
The installation responds to changes in the surrounding environment and creates patterns of sound as wind moves through it. The Donum Estate, Sonoma, California -
Exhibition
Posted
July 12 2019
Doug Aitken: New Horizon
This nomadic art installation and series of happenings comes to Massachusetts (12-28 July 2019) accompanied by a series of live events and experiences taking place across the state, all centred around a mirror-surfaced hot air balloon and gondola that vividly contrasts with the natural settings of New England. Massachusetts -
Exhibition
Posted
June 24 2019
Doug Aitken is featured in The Coming World: Ecology as the New Politics 2030–2100
This major exhibition (28 June–1 December 2019) at The Garage, Moscow, takes a look at a future already in the making, when the environmental agenda will become one of the main political questions. The Garage, Moscow -
Exhibition
Posted
June 6 2019
Doug Aitken: Mirage Gstaad
Elevation 1049: Frequencies features Mirage Gstaad, an outdoor, site-specific sculpture by Doug Aitken that will remain on view in Gstaad over the course of two years, reflecting and interacting with the mountain landscape over the changing seasons. Gstaad, Switzerland -
Exhibition
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March 18 2019
Doug Aitken at Faurschou Foundation, Beijing
The artist's first solo exhibition in mainland China takes place between 23 March and 4 August 2019. Faurschou Foundation, Beijing -
Review
Posted
February 4 2019
Artforum, Dezeen, Designboom and The Spaces feature Doug Aitken’s Mirage Gstaad
Mirage Gstaad, a new outdoor site specific sculpture by Aitken, will remain on view in the Swiss Alps over the course of two years, reflecting and interacting with the mountain landscape over the changing seasons. Gstaad, Switzerland -
Exhibition
Posted
October 10 2018
Doug Aitken – Mirage Detroit
Opening on 10 October 2018, this immersive, mirrored installation is set within the former State Savings Bank, a seminal historic building in downtown Detroit. Detroit, Michigan -
Exhibition
Posted
June 29 2018
Doug Aitken’s Song 1 inaugurates the new Copenhagen Contemporary
The opening programme (29 June–30 December 2018) includes Aitken's installation Song 1, 2012/2015. Copenhagen Contemporary, Denmark -
Exhibition
Posted
June 6 2018
Doug Aitken’s migration (empire) goes on display at Weatherspoon Art Museum
Aitken's video serves as the catalyst for a concurrent exhibition (9 June–30 September 2018) of artworks drawn from the museum’s collection. Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina, Greensboro -
News story
Posted
December 13 2017
Dezeen’s Top 10 Installations of 2017, featuring Mirage by Doug Aitken
'American artist Doug Aitken built this house-shaped structure clad in mirrors, which reflects the surrounding desert landscape of the Coachella Valley' Dezeen -
News
Posted
October 18 2017
Doug Aitken receives the inaugural Frontier Art Prize in Paris
Aitken is the first recipient of The Frontier Art Prize. He was honoured at a dinner on 18 October, the opening night of the FIAC Art Fair, at the Musée Picasso Paris. -
Exhibition
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October 7 2017
Doug Aitken in Future Shock at SITE Santa Fe
Aitken's Migration, 2008, is featured in SITE's re-opening exhibition (7 October 2017 – 1 May 2018). SITE, Santa Fe, New Mexico -
Exhibition
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October 6 2017
Doug Aitken in Performance! at Le Tripostal, Lille
Part of the Centre Pompidou's 40th anniversary celebrations, this exhibition (6 October 2017 – 14 January 2018) features Aitken's installation New Skin, 2002. Le Tripostal, Lille -
Exhibition
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September 21 2017
Floating Worlds: the 14th Biennale de Lyon, featuring Doug Aitken
Aitken's Sonic Fountain II features in the Biennale, curated by Emma Lavigne to unfurl like a voyage around an archipelago of islands in a city whose identity has been shaped partly by the ubiquity of water. ⠀ Lyon, France -
Exhibition
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September 15 2017
Doug Aitken in Again and Again, Sammlung Goetz in the Haus der Kunst, Munich
The exhibition (15 September 2017 – 8 April 2018) explores the fragile image of the self in video works from the 1990s and 2000s. On view are 12 works that have expanded the spectrum of visual design through the technical possibilities of digital media art. Haus der Kunst, Munich -
News story
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June 26 2017
Last chance to see Doug Aitken: Mirage before it closes for the summer
Mirage will close for July and August. It is hoped that it will reopen in the autumn, check the website for updates. -
Art fair
Posted
June 15 2017
Art Basel Unlimited: Doug Aitken
Victoria Miro is delighted to co-present with 303 Gallery, New York, Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zurich, and Regen Projects, Los Angeles, a new video installation of Doug Aitken’s largescale, interactive work Underwater Pavilions, 2017. Basel, Switzerland -
Exhibition
Posted
June 2 2017
Doug Aitken creates a new installation for ARoS Triennial
The Garden is a living artwork that embraces the dichotomy between the natural environment and a synthetic man-made experience (3 June - 30 July 2017). ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, Aarhus, Denmark -
Exhibition
Posted
May 28 2017
Doug Aitken: Electric Earth at The Modern, Fort Worth
The exhibition (28 May - 20 August) unfolds around the major moving-image installations that articulate Aitken’s central subject matters. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas -
Channel
March 19 2017
Doug Aitken: Mirage
On display during 2017 as part of Desert X in the Coachella Valley, Mirage presents a continually changing encounter in which subject and object, inside and outside, are in constant flux. -
Exhibition
Posted
March 1 2017
Doug Aitken participates in Desert X
On display until 30 April 2017, Mirage presents a continually changing encounter in which subject and object, inside and outside are in constant flux. Desert Palisades / Tuscany Heights, Palm Springs, California -
News story
Posted
February 28 2017
The Art Newspaper reports on Doug Aitken's Mirage for Desert X
Mirage, a new work by the artist Doug Aitken, has popped up in the California desert. Victoria Stapley-Brown, The Art Newspaper -
Interview
Posted
February 28 2017
Doug Aitken talks to Architectural Digest about Mirage
“I wanted to take that form and drain it—drain it of narrative, drain it of history—take all the texture, surface, history.” John Gendall, Architectural Digest -
News
Posted
February 28 2017
The Guardian reports on Desert X featuring Doug Aitken's Mirage
The likes of Doug Aitken have decamped to the outskirts of Palm Springs to exhibit large-scale works that appear along the route to a certain music festival. Janelle Zara, The Guardian -
Interview
Posted
January 23 2017
The FT visits Doug Aitken's Underwater Pavilions
The self-consciousness brought on by these sculptures — in humans, at least — has a political as well as existential significance. Jonathan Griffin, The Financial Times -
News story
Posted
December 28 2016
Doug Aitken: Electric Earth named one of Time Out Los Angeles' best exhibitions of 2016
Doug Aitken's work is all about the human experience in fast-evolving, ever-changing urban environments. In this sense, he's the ultimate Los Angeles artist. Rozette Rago, Time Out Los Angeles -
Interview
Posted
December 16 2016
Doug Aitken talks to Wallpaper* about Underwater Pavilions
Pacific pavilions: Doug Aitken and Parley for the Oceans take art under the waves. Ali Morris, Wallpaper* -
Interview
Posted
December 8 2016
Wired visits Doug Aitken's Underwater Pavilions
Called Underwater Pavilions, the piece comprises three massive, geodesic structures. At around 12 feet in diameter, each one is big enough to swim through, for divers and fish alike. Jack Stewart, Wired -
Interview
Posted
November 20 2016
Doug Aitken in The New York Times
Jori Finkel from The New York Times joins Doug Aitken on his first dive to his destination artwork in the Pacific Ocean. Jori Finkel, The New York Times -
Exhibition
Posted
September 10 2016
Doug Aitken: Electric Earth, the artist's first North American survey, at MOCA, Los Angeles
Electric Earth (until 15 January 2017) unfolds around major moving-image installations that articulate Aitken's thematic interest in environmental and post-industrial decay, urban abandonment, and the exhaustion of linear time. The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, Los Angeles -
Exhibition
Posted
July 6 2016
Doug Aitken in Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick at Somerset House
Doug Aitken's Twilight features in this group exhibition (until 21 August 2016), featuring artists, filmmakers, and musicians showcasing works inspired by Stanley Kubrick. Somerset House, London -
Gallery Exhibition
12 June - 31 July 2015
Doug Aitken
A specific constellation of five key works that has been conceived for the gallery by the artist, and deals with contemporary ideas of time through the use of sound, touch,... Victoria Miro Mayfair -
Gallery Exhibition
12 October - 12 November 2011
Doug Aitken
Doug Aitken's first solo exhibition in London for eight years will occupy both floors of Victoria Miro and include a specially reconfigured presentation of his acclaimed multi-channel film installation Black... Victoria Miro Gallery I -
Gallery Exhibition
7 October - 12 November 1999
Doug Aitken: Into the Sun
Victoria Miro Gallery II