Back to Bontecou
All work by Lee Bontecou. Images compiled from various sources. Credits given in photobucket album descriptions. All pics clickable for larger images and detail info.
Lately I’m feeling a little restless when it comes to making art. As is often the case, I’ve got lots of stuff in the works and am starting to get anxious about actually finishing something. That anxiety tends to manifest itself in the form of a shorter than normal attention span and a desire for something new–not a particularly helpful state to be in when trying to finish work. I’ve been thumbing through old art books and googling in hope of stumbling onto the work of some forgotten or as yet undiscovered (by me) artist–work that will scratch my itchy brain and keep me engaged for long enough to lose this undercurrent of mild frustration I can’t seem to escape.
The one artist I do keep coming back to lately is Lee Bontecou. I’ve always loved her work and was lucky enough to catch her 2004 retrospective when it travelled to MOMA’s temporary Queens location. The show was thrilling and enormous, and it cemented my complete love for the artist’s work. One of the things I find so exciting about her work is that she isn’t just a sculptor or a painter–she works with and combines all kinds of media in equally compelling ways. Her impressive body of work spans a wide range–from imposing, sometimes monolithic, welded steel and canvas sculptures to sensitively rendered, meticulous drawings and paintings in soot, pencil, pastel, etc. to translucent vacuum-formed flora and fauna-inspired sculptures to humongous, exquisitely detailed, floating ceramic and wire mobiles that sway dangerously with every movement in the room.
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here’s a nifty multi-media thing on the MOMA website about Bontecou’s soot drawings. I’d always wondered how she made those!
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Bontecou has an interesting history. After achieving serious critical acclaim for her work in the 60s–she was represented by Leo Castelli and exhibited her work at major shows both nationally and internationally–she basically left the artworld. In the early 70s, she left Castelli’s gallery, moved from NYC to rural Pennsylvania and devoted herself to teaching, raising her daughter and making art. Most accounts of the reasons behind her decision to do this point to a desire to avoid the trappings of a successful art career. It seems she didn’t want to be influenced by critics, dealers or the public. She didn’t want to work under the pressure of deadlines and expectations. She wanted the freedom to make art in her own time on her own terms–not an unreasonable wish. And so, she worked in relative isolation until she was convinced to do the 2004 retrospective that brought her back into public light.
If you’re not familiar with Bontecou’s art, it’s worth a look. She has spent her career building a mssive, diverse yet coherent body of work. There’s bound to be something you like. Right so, that’s what I’ve been looking at. How ’bout you? I’d be psyched to see any images, links, descriptions or anything else you want to share.
-Steph
June 14, 2009 at 10:36 am
I was confused when I first saw her work because I wasn’t sure what to think of it. But now I think I enjoy it. I’ve been looking at some Pre-Raphaalite and surrealist stuff lately (Millais and Magritte in particular).
June 14, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Daniel, have you had a chance to see any Bontecous in person? the work has an impressive presence. the photos don’t even begin to describe the sculpture. those steel and canvas works are really imposing. and some of the ceramic and wire mobiles are mind-blowingly immense and complex. it was Mark who introduced me to her work years ago when we were roommates in college. he’s a pretty decent guy if only for that.
i’ll make a point of revisiting Magritte and Millais and see what happens. thanks for sharing!
June 15, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I’ve seen a few of the sculptures and paintings at MoMA. I think the first time I was introduced to her was in a documentary. Seeing it on TV def didn’t do her work justice.
June 14, 2009 at 11:33 am
I haven’t been looking at anybody’s artwork other than here. Other than a couple other artists this is Grand Central, Ground Zero for me. So you all better be good to my brain! I’ve been looking at the hallucinatory wall sculptures my dreams conjure up. The subconcious is so tricky! It’s like deep sea fishing off the Marianas Trench, in the dark, in one of those funny pair of waders that’s surrounded by an inner tube.
June 14, 2009 at 7:24 pm
hmmmn… well, that’s some compelling imagery right there, Andrew. thanks
June 14, 2009 at 11:40 pm
I love Bontecou! The Art Institute of Chicago has one that they used to have up all the time, but I haven’t been by to see it in a while…Right now, I am excited about the Mondrian and Matisse that they just put up at my museum. Believe it or not, this Mondrian is the first that I have seen from his grid series in person (Chicago has a pre-grid painting).
June 15, 2009 at 11:08 am
oooh Mondrian and Matisse that’s really cool, Jason. Both are artists that I seem to fluctuate between being completely disinterested in and really engaged by their work. When I re-engage it’s great because there’s something about it that sparks fresh excitement, and that’s always good for my own art making.
June 15, 2009 at 10:34 am
I saw her retrospective in Chicago. Loved it. Very futuristic looking stuff.
At first, I read some of your post as “..devoted herself to teaching, raising her daughter and making out.” That would have been pretty good thing to do also.
June 15, 2009 at 11:12 am
hahaha! i think if i don’t finish something soon i’m gonna ditch the art thing and devote myself to making out.
June 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm
i remember we talked about her on WAN awhile back, and i liked her stuff then, but i can completely relate to her feelings on living life and making art on her own terms. if that includes making out, then all the better.
June 15, 2009 at 3:12 pm
yeah, ditto on both counts.
imagine the kind of moral character it would take to walk away from an established career the way she did. (i feel like a dork saying this but oh well) when i found that out about her she was already a favorite artist, but that fact kind of catapulted her to heroic status in my head.
December 6, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I aggressively support her choices, both with her art making and her lifestyle.