Fifteen museum curators chronicle Hesse’s landmark exhibitions over the years
German-born American artist Eva Hesse (1936-70) was a pioneering figure in Postminimalism, known for her use of materials such as latex and fiberglass to evoke fleshy, organic forms. This volume provides a historical account of Hesse’s landmark institutional exhibitions following her death, from 1972 to the present. Contributions from the museum curators involved in organizing these shows reflect the personal dimension of crafting an exhibition, such as intent and reception. Extensive installation views are included throughout, along with exhibition-related ephemera, lending historical texture to the curators’ essays.
Curators and corresponding exhibitions include: Linda Shearer (Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1972); Nicholas Serota (Whitechapel Gallery, London, 1979); Ellen Johnson (Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio, 1982); Helen Cooper (Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, 1992); Elisabeth Sussman (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 2002); Renate Petzinger (Museum Wiesbaden, Germany, 2002); Sabine Folie (Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, 2004); Fred Wasserman (Jewish Museum, New York, 2006); Catherine de Zegher (Drawing Center, New York, 2006); Briony Fer (Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, 2009); Luanne McKinnon (University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, 2011); Brigitte Kölle and Petra Roettig (Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany, 2013-14); Andrea Gyorody (Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio, 2019/22); Lena Stringari (Guggenheim Museum, New York, 2022).
