De Young Stages “In Pursuit of Venus [Infected]

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) has announced the acquisition and exhibition of the powerful video work in Pursuit of Venus [infected] (2015), by New Zealand artist Lisa Reihana, as part of the Contemporary Art Program at the de Young museum.

The exhibition runs at the de Young from August 10, 2019 – January 5, 2020

Panoramic in format, the animated, digital scroll is a moving image interpretation of the 19th-century French scenic wallpaper Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique (Native Peoples of the South Pacific) and its romanticized depiction of European explorations in Polynesia.

“The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are committed to questioning dominant narratives and integrating new, diverse points of view throughout our exhibition program. Lisa Reihana is a powerful voice in redefining the history as we know it,” states Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. ”Following on the acquisition of work by The Propeller Group and Carrie Mae Weems, the acquisition and exhibition of in Pursuit of Venus [infected] reaffirms the institution’s commitment to pioneering media art, inviting audiences to reconsider the cultural context of our society.”