LOUISE BOURGEOIS, I want to…, c. 1962

I am continuing my research on women artists of the 20^th Century – now on women artists who have drawn as part of their artistic practice. Instead of focusing on a single artist’s work, I have been developing a pantheon of women artists/drawers of the 20^th Century. Here are a few of my qualifications for inclusion in my pantheon:

– I really love/admire the artist’s drawing works (and other parts of their artistic practice) both conceptually and aesthetically

– that there is some relationship in material and content to my own artistic and drawing practice

– that there is some relationship to environmental, feminist, philosophical, political or spiritual practice that I want to examine in more detail

 

I – Helena Almeida, Portuguese, (1934)

HELENA ALMEIDA, study for the series Seducir / Seduce, 2002

 

II – Louise Bourgeois, born in France /American, (1911 – 2010)

LOUISE BOURGEOIS. Insomnia Drawing, c. 1994-1995

 

III – Vija Celmins , born in Latvia /American, (1938)

VIJA CELMINS, Ocean, 1975

 

IV – Ellen Gallagher, American, (1965)

ELLEN GALLAGHER, Host, 1996

 

 V – Susan Hefuna, German / Egyptian, (1962)

SUSAN HEFUNA, Building (in nine parts), 2009

 

VI – Eva Hesse , born in Germany / American, (1936-1970)

EVA HESSE, Untitled, 1966

 

VII – Hilma af Klint, Swedish, (1862 – 1944)

HILMA AF KLINT, Series 11, No. 3a, The Buddha’s Standpoint in the Earthly Life, 1920

 

VIII – Anna Maria Maiolino. born in Italy / Brazilian (1942)

ANNA MARIA MAIOLINO, Desde A ate M (from A to M) from the series Mapas Mentais (Mental Maps), 1972 – 99

 

IX – Agnes Martin, born in Canada/ American, (1912 – 2004)

AGNES MARTIN, Untitled, c. 1960

 

X – Nasreen Mohamedi, Indian, (1937-1990)

NASREEN MOHAMEDI, Untitled

 

XI – Ree Morton, American , (1936 – 1977)

REE MORTON, Untitled, c. 1972

 

XII – Mira Schendel, born in Switzerland / Brazilian, (1919 – 1988)

MIRA SCHENDEL, Untitled from the series Graphic Objects, c. 1972

 

XIII – Atsuko Tanaka, Japanese, (1932 – 2005)

ATSUKO TANAKA, Round on Sand, 1968

This is an evolving pantheon.  I have 13 artists in my drawing pantheon at this point. If you have any suggestions for me let me know. Vija Celmins comes to me via Cydney Payton’s suggestion and Atsuko Tanaka was suggested by Sandra Firmin. I am excited about researching all these artists drawing practices and continuing to develop my own drawing practice in the coming months.