Polly Apfelbaum's Midcareer Survey Redefines Femininity Through Abstraction at Cincinnati's Contemporary Arts Center
From December 6, 2003, to February 29, 2004, the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati is hosting a midcareer survey of Polly Apfelbaum, organized by Claudia Gould and Ingrid Schaffner. This exhibition presents a selection of her pieces spanning from the late 1980s to 2003, featuring notable works like Daisy Chain (1989/2003) and Oblong (2003). Apfelbaum’s "fallen paintings," such as Reckless and Split (both 1998), merge painting, sculpture, and printmaking, exploring femininity through intricate craftsmanship and organic patterns. Drawing inspiration from postwar abstraction and artists like Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler, her creations also include personal touches, exemplified in Pocketful of Posies (1990) and Title Page (2003), which highlights her whimsical titles and reinterprets "women's work."
Key facts
- Polly Apfelbaum's midcareer survey runs from 6 December 2003 to 29 February 2004
- The exhibition is curated by Claudia Gould and Ingrid Schaffner
- It is organized by the Institute for Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania
- The show is held at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Works range from the late 1980s to 2003, including Daisy Chain (1989/2003) and Oblong (2003)
- Apfelbaum's "fallen paintings" use velvety fabric dyed with vibrant colors
- She references postwar abstraction, including Pollock, Frankenthaler, and minimalism
- Title Page (2003) is a wallpaper installation listing her works in rainbow colors
Entities
Artists
- Polly Apfelbaum
- Claudia Gould
- Ingrid Schaffner
- Jackson Pollock
- Helen Frankenthaler
- Carl Andre
Institutions
- Contemporary Arts Center
- Institute for Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania
- artcritical
Locations
- Cincinnati
- Ohio
- United States
- Pennsylvania