Mark Bradford’s paintings are informed not only by the historical development of abstract art but also by the visual and social environment of Los Angeles, the city in which he grew up and continues to live. Using non-representational imagery and a variety of materials, including remnants of posters and billboards from his neighborhood, Bradford has explored the street grid that defines Los Angeles, the tumult of the city’s protests and uprisings, and expressions of identity that represent members of its communities. This painting, however, reflects Bradford’s response to another city—Venice. It is related to a body of work made specifically for an exhibition that represents the United States at the 2017 Venice Biennale, co-presented by the Baltimore Museum of Art and The Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University. Inspired by Venice’s weathered frescoes, this composition evokes the city’s celebrated history of arts patronage and suggests the dramatic effects of age and climate on Venice’s unique built environment.