The celebrated Ethiopian-born artist Julie Mehretu, known for her dynamic abstractions and deep engagement with contemporary social and political themes, has been awarded the prestigious rank of Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture.
The accolade, which recognises individuals who have made a significant contribution to the arts and culture in France and globally, places Mehretu’s position as one of the most influential artists of her generation.
Mehretu was born in 1970 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and moved to the United States as a teenager. She studied at Kalamazoo College in Michigan and the University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Senegal and earned a Master of Fine Arts in 1997 from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her art examines layers of history, social behaviour, and the intersection between the personal and the political through painting, drawing, and printmaking.
Mehretu engages with themes of displacement, conflict and resilience, often incorporating images from media coverage of global unrest into her abstract compositions. Legacy of Artistic and Social Impact: A Social Legacy of Artist and Social Impact Mehretu’s current work has been widely exhibited, from biennials like Venice and Sharjah to leading institutions such as the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Her career survey has travelled to venues including the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and her latest exhibition, Julie Mehretu: Ensemble, opened in 2024 in Palazzo Grassi in Venice.
Mehretu is known as an advocate for social justice among her artistic achievements. In 2004, she co-founded Denniston Hill, an artist residency that fosters creativity and community engagement in upstate New York. She also played a pivotal role in preserving Nina Simone’s childhood home, ensuring its legacy as a historic site dedicated to the icon. Her philanthropy includes significant contributions to the Art for Justice Fund, raising $6.5 million to combat mass incarceration and funding a campaign to end juvenile life without parole sentencing.
Mehretu has received global recognition and numerous awards, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 2005 and the Ameen Scholar Award for outstanding contributions to the United States of America. Department of State Medal of Arts Award 2015 and Medal of Arts Award 2015 won for the Department of State Medal of Arts 2014.
Her appointment as an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is a nod to her dual legacy as a boundary-pushing artist and advocate for social change. Plusetu remains a vital voice in both the art world and the broader cultural landscape as her practice continues to evolve, and her work reflects the complexity and possibilities of our current moment.