Charles Gaines: 1992–2023

A preeminent figure in conceptual art, Charles Gaines is widely known for converting images and text-based documents into numerical structures, musical notations, and other sign systems through rigorous translation mechanisms. In 1992, Gaines’s practice underwent a pivotal shift when he began to replace non-descript images with critical theory frameworks, ranging from the writings of Franz Kafka and Frantz Fanon to the manifestos of the Black Panthers and the American Indian Movement. By doing so, Gaines has channeled decolonial discourses into complex formal and conceptual works, in addition to combining different media such as video and sound.

Organized by the ICA Miami, Charles Gaines: 1992-2023 features a selection of works from series that Gaines has worked on since 1992 to demonstrate the evolution of his approach to transforming images, texts, and diverse materials into a distinct visual language. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the debut of the complete series of Gaines’ most recent body of work, Numbers and Trees: Arizona Trees 1, 2023, presented in the Museum’s Cummings Great Hall.

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