Synopses & Reviews
3x an Abstraction presents the extraordinary work of three important women artists whose innovative ideas and approaches to drawing had a significant impact on the history of modern abstraction. Hilma af Klint (Sweden, 1862and#150;1944), Emma Kunz (Switzerland, 1892and#150;1963), and Agnes Martin (Canada, b. 1912; U.S. citizenship 1950) approached geometric abstraction not as formalism, but as a means of structuring philosophical, scientific, and spiritual ideas. Using line, geometry, and the grid, each of these artists created diagrammatic drawings of their exploration of complex belief systems and restorative practices.
Noteworthy among the 150 illustrations in the volume are a large number of works by Hilma af Klint, reproduced here for the first time in a major publication; Emma Kunzand#8217;s drawings, exhibited in the United States for the first time in 2005; and approximately 20 early works by Agnes Martin. The book also includes writings by each of the artists, an introduction by Catherine de Zegher, seven essays by distinguished contributors, and brief statements from five contemporary artists.
By considering collectively the works of these three artists anew, 3x an Abstraction highlights the artistic contributions of af Klint and Kunz and revisits the work of Martin from a new perspective.
Synopsis
An engaging look at three women artists' pathbreaking explorationof abstraction
Synopsis
This engaging study of the drawings of three generations of women artists shows the impact of their innovative work on the history of modern abstraction. The book explores the art and writings of Hilma af Klint, Emma Kunz, and Agnes Martin, each of whom approached geometric abstraction as a means of structuring philosophical, scientific, and spiritual ideas.
About the Author
Catherine de Zegher is director of The Drawing Center. Hendel Teicher is an independent scholar and curator who publishes frequently on modern and contemporary art. Contributors include: Bracha Ettinger, Briony Fer, Elizabeth Finch, Adam Fuss, Rosalind Krauss, Birgit Pelzer, Griselda Pollock, Kathryn Tuma, Susan Klein, Richard Tuttle, Cecilia Vicuandntilde;a, and Terry Winters.