At first glance, Julie Mehretu’s work may look like a chaotic, abstract explosion. Look closer. Tangled among the colorful geometric shapes and delicate line work are moments of recognition. Thin, connecting lines depict architectural structures, the scrawls of ink begin to look like plumes of smoke, and the bright jags of color all tilt in a shared direction. This work illustrates Mehretu’s desire to illustrate, “the multifaceted layers of place, space, and time that impact the formation of personal and community identity.”