Exhibition Review: Hannah Wilke "Force of Nature" at Ronald Feldman Gallery


HANNAH WILKE | Ronald Feldman Gallery
"FORCE OF NATURE"
September 19 – November 30, 2019


There are two locations in New York City that I saw Hannah Wilke's work in last 10 days.
One is Guggenheim Museum, which I went to see the Jean-Michel Basquiat's exhibition
Basquiat’s “Defacement”: The Untold Story. The Guggenheim is presenting one of Wilke's iconic photography pieces "S.O.S. Starification Object Series (Back)" 1974.

Hannah WIlke, S.O.S. Starification Object Series (Back), 1974

-Update-
I would like to dedicate this blog to Mr. Ronald Feldman who officially retired after opening of this exhibition with retirement newsletter on October, 25, 2019. 


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The second place I visited on Thursday, (3 Oct. was the Ronald Feldman Gallery which I specially visited to see Wilke's work. This is Thirteenth exhibition of Hannah Wilke that Ronald Feldman  is presenting.

....note....

As alsways, the archive/review series of my blog posts are personal archives of some some exhibitions I have visited. It is mainly filled with photography and less writing of my thoughts. It is personal record but left open for public, and anybody who would like to take a look at the exhibitions is welcome.
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Quotes about Hannah Wilka

"Like Eve, the first woman, Wilke is self-originating with a vengeance.... She has driven deep into her corporeal self to create a legacy for the sacred collective..." -Arlene Raven, "The Eternal Hannah Wilke," 2004
“One of the ten most subversive women artists in history.” (Hannah Wilke listed second after Artemisia Gentileschi) Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, January 13, 2014

I was honestly simply amazed and I was moved by this exhibition and the rich collection of works, and that fact that one gallery could hold such museum quality exhibition of one artist.  I believe it was possible because of the gallery has been presenting her for decades since 1972,  from when she was actively creating.

In personal level, Hannah Wilke is to me an artist who makes me feel honor to graduate my school, and who is an artist also makes me feel still not too far away in terms of generations. 

For those who is reading my blog timely and in New York City, I do recommend to visit this exhibition.


















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"Ronald Feldman Gallery is honored to present a solo exhibition of work by Hannah Wilke (1940-1993). Entitled “Force of Nature,” it is the thirteenth solo exhibition of her art mounted by Feldman Gallery since it began representing Wilke in 1972.
With great passion and acuity, Wilke empathetically and provocatively transformed her relationships and personal experiences into her practice. Her work has often been described as incorporating a wide emotional range, which undoubtedly stemmed from her determination to speak for a more complex narrative of sexual freedom and self-representation and against stereotypes and objectification." -Ronald Feldman








Maybe I should mantion that one thing that is vague about this exhibition is that there is no information on the title labels on walls or on the recepton desk about availability of artwork for purchasing. It is unclear and not mentioned which works are in a private collection or property/not for sale. (They must have a separate work list that we could ask for, but otherwise it is not identifiable.) This exhibition is one of few exhibitions this year that made me debate with myself and almost aquire the work.










This series "So Help Me Hannah, 1979-85" also comes with the Audio(Voice) recording. 


Some Statements from Video:

"A woman using her own face and body has a  right to do what she will with them, but it is a subtle abyss that separates men's use of womens for sexual titillation from women's use of women to expose that insult"- LUCY LIPPARD

" I don't believe that artist has any professional duty to the public; the reverse is the case. It is the artist who possessed the concept...it is the public's duty to understand." -DAVID SMITH

"Success is the sole earthly judge of right and wrong."-ADOLPH HITKER

"Progress can be defined as what happens when you eliminate the opposition"-BRIAN O'DOHERTY

"Any artist can symbolize, but few artists can execute... Art doesn't come from the mouth you know."-CARL ANDRE

"Error is a fiction, has no reality in fact." -JOHN CAGE


...and more.






Wake Up Hannah Wake Up is a piece with audio (Music). It is one of my favorite pieces of her.































































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Feldman Gallery
31 Mercer Street
New York, NY 10013

Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday:
10:00am - 6:00pm


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Disclaimer
As usual,  my blog review often does not consist many writing but filled with photos I take with my point of view.

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