The ICA Miami has organized a major posthumous survey of the late painter Joyce Pensato, opening December 2 and running through March 15. The exhibition brings together over 65 works spanning five decades, from early Batman sketches to her signature enamel paintings that transform cartoon icons like Mickey Mouse, The Simpsons, and South Park characters into grotesque, emotionally charged images. The show is curated by artistic director Alex Gartenfeld, curator Stephanie Seidel, and ICA Art + Research Center Director Gean Moreno, and is the most comprehensive presentation of Pensato's work to date.
This exhibition matters because it seeks to correct Pensato's relative neglect in canonical American art history, positioning her as a critical figure who bridged Abstract Expressionism, Pop art, and a deeply personal visual language. By foregrounding her influence on younger artists such as Sean Landers and Cosima von Bonin, the show argues for Pensato's enduring relevance and challenges conventional narratives that have overlooked her contributions. It also highlights the ICA Miami's commitment to re-evaluating under-recognized artists through ambitious scholarly surveys.