Tate Modern's Magdalena Abakanowicz retrospective reinforces artist's myth, misses critical context
From November 17, 2022, until May 21, 2023, the Tate Modern hosted 'Every Tangle of Thread and Rope,' a solo display of textile art by Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz, curated by Mary Jane Jacob and Ann Coxton. This exhibition focused on her woven Abakans from the 1960s and 1970s, in line with Tate's initiative to highlight women artists from underrepresented areas during 2020-2025. Critic Piotr Sarzynski acknowledged it as a vital showcase of Polish art but criticized its reinforcement of Abakanowicz's isolation myth and lack of political context. Rooms such as 'Beginnings' and 'Fibrous Forest' were featured, ending with 'Anasta.' The public programs included limited Polish perspectives and were compared unfavorably to those of Mária Bartuszová and Cecilia Vicuña.
Key facts
- Magdalena Abakanowicz's solo exhibition 'Every Tangle of Thread and Rope' ran at Tate Modern from November 17, 2022 to May 21, 2023.
- The exhibition was curated by Mary Jane Jacob and Ann Coxton, focusing on Abakanowicz's 1960s-1970s textile works including Abakans.
- It aligned with Tate's 2020-2025 plan to represent women artists from less-explored regions like Eastern Europe.
- Polish critic Piotr Sarzynski called it 'a celebration of Polish art.'
- The review criticizes the exhibition for reinforcing Abakanowicz's myth as an isolated genius and neglecting political context.
- Abakanowicz was controversial for her apolitical stance during communist Poland and distance from feminism.
- The exhibition's public program, Tate Lates on February 24, 2023, featured few Polish speakers.
- A private seminar on May 12-13, 2023, included specialists like Agata Jakubowska and Joanna Inglot.
Entities
Artists
- Magdalena Abakanowicz
- Mária Bartuszová
- Cecilia Vicuña
- Tadeusz Kantor
- Maria Pinińska-Bereś
- Jerzy Grotowski
- Tosia Leniarska
- Wojciech Rusin
- Anna Jaskiewicz
Institutions
- Tate Modern
- Polityka
- University of California Press
- Foksal Gallery
- Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
- ARTMargins Online
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Poland
- Warsaw
- Slovakia
- Chile
- Eastern Europe
- Latin America
- East-Central Europe
- UK
Sources
- ARTMargins —
- ARTMargins —