Magdalena ABAKANOWICZ
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Faces © 1984 Magdalena Abakanowicz |
Katarsis 1985 Portfolio with seven etchings Sheet: 29.75 x 22.25 inches Edition of 20 ©1985 Magdalena Abakanowicz |
Born near Warsaw, Poland in 1930 this textile artist principally
known for her sculpture is also a painter and printmaker. The artist witnessed
the horrors of the Nazi occupation, the Warsaw uprising, and later lived
in the grim economic conditions of Communist Poland. When confronted by
these events, Abakanowicz was able to transform natural and found materials
into expressive art. This gift became a distinguishing characteristic
of her work, and her experiences continue to shape the themes she explores
in her sculpture, painting, and printmaking.
Originally creating abstract pieces, Abakanowicz over time has moved to figurative work. Whether two or three-dimensional, she uses the minimum detail necessary to create associations for the viewer, but keeps them open for individual interpretation. Her works refer to patterns and complexity in nature and additionally nature's ability to destruct and reinvent. Having made separate series of works focusing on torsos, backs, brains, and faces, many of her works focus on isolated parts of the human body. Abakanowicz creates a junction where primitive and contemporary, dead and alive, and physical and spiritual meet. Her vast artistic achievements carry with them the intensity of her cultural history and her drive to move forward from the adversity she has faced.
The work of Abakanowicz can be found in collections worldwide including the Australian National Gallery of Art, Canberra, Australia; Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, Poland; Centre Georges Pompidou, Musee National d'Art Moderne, Paris, France; Giuliano Gori Collection, Fattoria di Celle, Santomato di Pistoia, Italy; Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Sezon Museum, Tokyo, Japan; and the Sun Jeu Museum, South Korea
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