ICA Miami is gearing up to open Perfect Nonsense on April 15, a career-spanning survey of Harmony Korine that also marks his first U.S. museum exhibition. Long positioned as a singular voice working between film and visual art, Korine’s influence has been defined by his ability to pull raw, often uncomfortable slices of American life into sharp focus. Bringing together over 50 works across painting, drawing, photography, zines, collage, film, and handwritten notes, the show traces his output from early experiments through to his most recent projects.
The exhibition unfolds as a series of thematic moments, tapping into the ideas that have long defined his work. Think outsider narratives, social critique, hedonism, celebrity, authenticity, and the strange pulse of American teenage life. It starts in 1997 with collages, paintings, and notes made in the wake of Kids (1995), setting the tone for what follows, including the lo-fi aggression of Trash Humpers (2009) and the “Shadow Fux” paintings created with Rita Ackerman, both featured here.
From there, Korine’s “Twitchy” paintings come into focus, blending low-resolution iPhone imagery with traditional techniques, while a Florida Room shifts things closer to home, reflecting on Miami’s changing arts landscape against the darker undertones of the American South. Photographs, zines, and drawings surface throughout, giving a sense of how fluid his practice has been over time.
The show wraps with Aggro Dr1ft, his infrared “post-cinema” project starring Travis Scott, pointing toward his continued interest in gaming culture and virtual space. Perfect Nonsense runs through October 4; more details are available via ICA Miami.