Douglas Gordon, Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all in Beverly Hills
Published on 08/26/2026 at 10:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Douglas Gordon centers his exhibition Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all at Gagosian Beverly Hills on the double-screen film Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. As Gagosian and the announcement summarized by HENI state, the show runs from July 16 to August 22, 2026 in Beverly Hills.
The exhibition in Beverly Hills
The exhibition Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all at Gagosian Beverly Hills brings together a focused body of Douglas Gordon's work around football and spectacle, with Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006) as its core installation. The gallery presents the piece on two facing screens, emphasizing the split perspective on Zinédine Zidane during a single match as described in the gallery announcement and summarized by HENI. HENI exhibition overview
The run from July 16 to August 22, 2026 places the show squarely in the summer of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is also highlighted in coverage by art media and exhibition listings. Wallpaper's Los Angeles guide notes that the show is one of the key August exhibitions in the city, underscoring how Gordon uses the football event's audience to frame his time-based work. Wallpaper exhibition guide
Douglas Gordon in collections and museums
In parallel to the Beverly Hills exhibition, Douglas Gordon's film and video practice remains anchored in major museum collections, including works such as 24 Hour Psycho and Play Dead that have been shown at MoMA in New York in the earlier exhibition Douglas Gordon: Timeline. The museum emphasizes his method of slowing down, repeating and reconfiguring existing films to 'sculpt' time in the moving image. MoMA exhibition archive
More recently, the Bass Museum of Art in Miami dedicated an installation to Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait from May 20 to July 19, 2026, tying the work directly to FIFA World Cup matches and fan events in the host city. The museum describes the two-channel installation as a way to follow Zidane in real time and to transform a televised match into a durational portrait, reinforcing the same conceptual axis seen now at Gagosian Beverly Hills.
All news and background on Douglas Gordon
For readers following Douglas Gordon's moving-image installations and their presence in exhibitions and collections, our news overview bundles current reports and background pieces.
The work core and moving-image practice
Douglas Gordon works primarily with video, film and installation, repeatedly revisiting existing cinematic material to alter its tempo, framing and narrative. In works such as 24 Hour Psycho and Film Noir (Perspire), he slows or layers film sequences so that familiar images become unfamiliar again, a strategy MoMA has described as central to his practice.
Where the artist stands now
Douglas Gordon's current position is marked by his exhibition Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all at Gagosian Beverly Hills, running through August 22, 2026, alongside recent presentations of Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami in summer 2026.
Douglas Gordon at a glance
- Artist: Douglas Gordon
- Medium / Genre: Video art and film installation
- Born: 1966, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Place(s) of practice: Studio practice associated with Glasgow and international exhibition venues
- Active since: Early 1990s, with breakthrough works such as 24 Hour Psycho
- Key work groups: 24 Hour Psycho, Play Dead, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, Pretty much every film and video work from about 1992 until now'ish…
- Current/last exhibition: Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all, Gagosian Beverly Hills, July 16 to August 22, 2026
- Major collections: MoMA (New York), Tate (London), Centre Pompidou (Paris), institutions with holdings of his video and film works
- Awards: Turner Prize 1996 (Tate, London)
- Next date: Exhibition Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all at Gagosian Beverly Hills on view through August 22, 2026
Frequently asked questions about Douglas Gordon
Where is Douglas Gordon currently on view?
Douglas Gordon is currently on view with the exhibition Magic is sometimes very close to nothing at all at Gagosian Beverly Hills, which runs from July 16 to August 22, 2026, and with the installation of Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami in summer 2026.
What is the role of Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait in his practice?
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006), made with Philippe Parreno, has become a central work in Douglas Gordon's oeuvre, using a football match to explore portraiture, duration and spectatorship through a double-screen installation.
Which major collections hold Douglas Gordon's works?
Douglas Gordon's video and film installations are held by leading public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, reflecting the institutional recognition of his moving-image practice.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
