Maria Lassnig, Austrian Postwar Painting Pioneer, Dies at 94

Maria Lassnig, born in Carinthia in 1919, passed away on 6 May 2014 at age 94. Known as the grande dame of Austrian art, her 70-year career explored body representation through self-portraits she termed 'body-awareness paintings'. Using expressive brushstrokes, her work externalized inner emotions and traumas, creating distorted depictions of the female body in unrealistic colors. A feminist artist, she addressed dark subjects like warrior children, end-of-life hospital scenes, and gender equality, balancing tragedy with humor. Lassnig represented Austria at the 1980 Venice Biennale and participated in two Documenta editions and the 8th Gwangju Biennale. Her solo exhibitions included shows at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, MUMOK in Vienna, the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, the Serpentine Gallery in London, and the Lenbachhaus in Munich. In 2013, she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale. A retrospective of her work is currently on view at MoMA PS1 through 25 May 2014.