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Ida Applebroog, feminist artist who probed power and gender, dies at 93

artist · 2026-05-01

Ida Applebroog, a prominent figure in contemporary art renowned for exploring issues of power, gender, and violence, has passed away at the age of 93, according to Hauser & Wirth. Born in the Bronx in 1929 to Polish Orthodox Jewish parents, she studied graphic design before leaving a career in advertising due to harassment. After raising her children, Applebroog attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1969, while hospitalized, she created a series of provocative drawings. A member of the Heresies Collective, her work has been exhibited globally, including in prestigious venues like the Brooklyn Museum.

Key facts

  • Ida Applebroog died at age 93.
  • Born in 1929 in Bronx, New York, to an Orthodox Jewish family from Poland.
  • Studied graphic design at the New York Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences (1948–1950).
  • Worked as the only female employee at an advertising agency for six months.
  • Attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1965–1968).
  • Hospitalized for depression in 1969 at San Diego's Mercy Hospital, where she created 150 'vagina drawings'.
  • The 'vagina drawings' were exhibited in 2010 at Hauser & Wirth in New York as 'Monalisa' (2009).
  • Joined the Heresies Collective in 1974, working with Lucy Lippard, Joan Snyder, and Pat Steir.

Entities

Artists

  • Ida Applebroog
  • Joan Snyder
  • Pat Steir

Institutions

  • Hauser & Wirth
  • New York Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  • San Diego's Mercy Hospital
  • Heresies Collective
  • Brooklyn Museum
  • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
  • Institute of Contemporary Art Miami
  • Kunstmuseum Thun
  • Museo Reina Sofía

Locations

  • Bronx
  • New York
  • Poland
  • Chicago
  • San Diego
  • Houston
  • Texas
  • Miami
  • Florida
  • Thun
  • Madrid

Sources