It Doesn’t Have to Always Make Sense

It Doesn’t Have to Always Make Sense is Amoako Boafo’s first solo presentation in Italy, taking place within the Museo di Palazzo Grimani on the occasion of the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Presented by Gagosian, the exhibition unfolds through works by the artist, framed within a series of spatial and curatorial gestures that respond to the historic fabric of the palazzo.

Conceived by DeRoche Projects in response to the architectural specificity of the Museo di Palazzo Grimani, the exhibition develops a curatorial and spatial framework that interweaves site, material reuse, and image-based practices. Anchoring the exhibition is Parallel Acts, a spatial intervention that brings together painting, moving image, and architecture in a carefully choreographed narrative exploring the relationship between still and moving image.

Upon entering, visitors encounter 'Mozzarella White Lace Top' by Amoako Boafo accompanied by sound, drawing attention to both visual and auditory experience. A curved bench frames a film documenting the artist’s practice and the exhibition’s collaborative process, set within Venetian lace that references Venice’s lace-making tradition and Boafo’s ongoing exploration of lace in his work. Across the exhibition, Boafo’s works are imbued with poetry by Worlasi, and the artwork 'Tongue Tease, 2023' enters in a dialogue with a collaborative sculpture by the artist with Stephen Allotey, extending the exhibition’s conversation across media.

DeRoche Projects establishes a framework in which materials from Boafo’s previous London exhibition, I Do Not Come to You by Chance, are reimagined as seating, display, and spatial elements. Reclaimed charred wood shapes the scale and arrangement of the pavilion, transforming the material into context-responsive infrastructure that resonates with both site and practice.

It Doesn’t Have to Always Make Sense frames the work of Amoako Boafo, weaving creation, context, and community into a single, interconnected experience. Painting, still and moving image, and architecture unfold together, guiding visitors through a carefully choreographed spatial narrative.