LOUISE FISHMAN LOUISE FISHMAN Edited by Helaine Posner Essays by Carrie Moyer, Helaine Posner, and Nancy Princenthal With an interview by Ingrid Schaffner Neuberger Museum of Art Purchase College, SUNY, Purchase, New York Institute of Contemporary Art University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia DelMonico Books • Prestel Munich London New York CONTENTS DIRECTORS’ FOREWORDS 6 LOUISE FISHMAN: THE ENERGY IN THE RECTANGLE 11 HELAINE POSNER PLATES I 22 LOUISE FISHMAN: LANGUAGE LESSONS 45 NANCY PRINCENTHAL PLATES II 54 LOUISE ISN’T ANGRY ANYMORE. SHE’S PAINTING 99 CARRIE MOYER PLATES III 106 GETTING SMALL WITH LOUISE FISHMAN 185 INGRID SCHAFFNER PLATES IV 200 EXHIBITION CHECKLIST 214 BIOGRAPHY AND SELECTED EXHIBITION HISTORY 217 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 222 DIRECTORS’ FOREWORD The Neuberger Museum of Art prides itself Ingrid Schaffner, former Chief Curator and on collaborating with artists whose work is not current Curator, Carnegie International, Carnegie only of the highest art historical significance Museum of Art; and Anthony Elms, Chief and aesthetic quality but also demonstrates Curator. We are so pleased to be able to partner critical perspectives that have influenced their with them on exhibiting different aspects of peers and had a lasting impact on younger Fishman’s work, concurrently, at our respective generations. In keeping with this mission we are institutions. We also wish to thank Nancy Doll, delighted to present the first museum survey of Director of the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the work of Louise Fishman. I am deeply grate­ the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, ful for her thoughtful and generous help with for hosting the Neuberger Museum retro­ this exhibition, and I also offer warm thanks to spective. At Cheim & Read, the gallery that her spouse, Ingrid Nyeboe, who has likewise has championed Fishman and her art for many provided tremendous support throughout years, particular thanks go to John Cheim, the project. Principal/Head of Exhibitions; Karen Polack, Projects like this one would not be possible Registrar; and Ellen Robinson, Director of without the dedicated community that sup­ Press and Media. ports the museum’s exhibitions and programs. This catalogue stands among the most For their dedication to the Neuberger and their authoritative accounts of Fishman’s work to date. generous sponsorship of Louise Fishman: A At our copublisher, DelMonico Books • Prestel, Retrospective, profound thanks go to James I would like to thank Mary DelMonico, Publisher, and Susan Dubin, whose longtime service to Ryan Newbanks, Editor, and Luke Chase, the museum, in particular through Susan’s Production Coordinator. Thanks are also due work as our current Chair of the Board of the to Amanda Glesmann, who copyedited this Friends of the Neuberger Museum of Art, publication, and to Rita Jules and Miko McGinty is so highly valued and appreciated. I am also of Miko McGinty Inc., who developed its grateful to Lauren B. Cramer, Helen Stambler thoughtful and elegant design. For their insight­ Neuberger and James Neuberger, and Sara ful catalogue essays many thanks go to Helaine and Michelle Vance Waddell for their generous Posner, Chief Curator at the Neuberger Museum support of this exhibition. Educational pro­ of Art; Carrie Moyer, painter, art critic, and grams are funded in part by The Elizabeth A. Associate Professor of Art at Hunter College, Sackler Museum Educational Trust. Gratitude New York; and Nancy Princenthal, a New York– is also due to our colleagues at the National based art critic and former Senior Editor at Art in Endowment for the Arts for their continued America. I am also grateful to Ingrid Schaffner faith in our projects and for funding this exhibi­ for her interview with the artist, and to Kimberly tion. I also extend thanks to the Friends of the Detterbeck, Art Librarian, Purchase College, Neuberger Museum of Art and the Purchase for producing the Biography and Exhibition College Foundation for their ongoing support. History, and Selected Bibliography. Cristina All of us at the Neuberger have enjoyed Miranda, Louise Fishman’s archivist, provided working with our institutional collaborators and valuable research assistance. colleagues on this exhibition. At the Institute of A project like this would be impossible Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, without the generous support of our private sincere thanks go to Amy Sadao, Director; lenders: Tracey and Mark Bilski, Carol A. 6 Calhoun, Tom Cashin and Jay Johnson, Downes Dyer, Executive Assistant to the John Cheim, Mike De Paola, The Dicke Collec­ Director; Patrice Giasson, Alex Gordon Asso­ tion, Jan and Barry Zubrow, Milton and Sheila ciate Curator of Art of the Americas; Suzanne Fine, Marc and Jill Fisher, Louise Fishman, Grady, Marketing Associate; Avis Larson, The Forman Family Foundation, Stuart and Assistant Curator; Alison Lowey, Assistant Lisa Ginsberg, James and Janet Kloppenburg, Registrar; Patricia Magnani, Registrar; Carolyn Martha Macks­ Kahn, Romita Shetty and Mandelker, Public Relations Consultant; Rafal Nasser Ahmad, the Speyer Family Collection, Niemojewski, Director of Education and Public and Thomas Whitridge. We are also indebted to Programs; Stephanie Rodriguez, Shop Manager; our institutional lenders: the Fernando Luis Jacqueline Shilkoff, Curator of New Media and Alvarez Gallery, Stamford, Connecticut; The Art Director of Digital Initiatives; and Jose Antonio Institute of Chicago; Cheim & Read, New York; Smith, Associate Preparator. Thank you also the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, to Emma Beiderman, Greg Beise, Matt Harle, Hanover, New Hampshire; The Jewish Museum, Alejandro Lopez, Dan McInerney, and Alex New York; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Theodoropoulos; to our Associate Director of New York. Finance, Sarah James; and to Gennelle McNeil, I would also like to acknowledge our great Financial Analyst/Accountant, Campus Foun­ supporters and colleagues at Purchase College, dations and Related Entities, Purchase College. especially President Thomas J. Schwarz; A special thank you goes to Simon Watson, Provost and Vice President Barry Pearson; and who first brought the idea of a retrospective Vice President of Institutional Advancement of Fishman’s work to our attention, initiating Jeannine Starr. Warm thanks, as always, is a most important project for the Neuberger likewise extended to the fantastic staff of the Museum of Art. My deepest thanks, however, Neuberger Museum of Art for their hard work go to Helaine Posner in acknowledgment of on this exhibition: Sanjeev Avasthi, Security her exceptional work on Louise Fishman: A Supervisor; Jane Barry, Director, Operations Retrospective. It is through Helaine’s dedication and Visitor Services; David Bogosian, Director to the museum and consummate skill as a of Facilities and Chief Preparator; Denise curator that this exhibition has come to fruition Borsari, Financial Affairs Assistant; Peter C. in such a significant and meaningful form. Cole, Visitor Services Associate; Camilla Cook, Public Programs Manager; Jessica Denaro, Tracy Fitzpatrick Associate Director of Development; Deslyn Director, Neuberger Museum of Art My respect for Louise Fishman’s work was lit cultures, language theory and even geodesic anew by the illuminating High Times, Hard domes.” We are honored to expand this inquiry Times: New York Painting 1967–75 as curated with the current publication and concurrent by Katy Siegel with David Reed. Fishman’s exhibitions at the Neuberger Museum of Art, fabric works were included with pieces by other Purchase College, and the Institute of Contem­ painters working in constructions, photography, porary Art, University of Pennsylvania (ICA). All and performance art as well as “music, crafts, are investigations into Fishman’s work to expand carpentry, psychedelic drugs, non­Western the boundaries of Abstract Expressionism, 7 notably through the incorporation of the component of the university and crossroads artist’s politicization. between the campus, the City of Philadelphia, ICA focuses on the unknown and maintains and the wider world. an overriding interest in nudging through lines ICA’s staff shared in my wish to make separating artist studio and exhibiting space. this last collaboration with our longtime Chief Paper Louise Tiny Fishman Rock presents the Curator, and Guest Curator of Paper Louise “tiny” paintings and folded paper books Fishman Tiny Fishman Rock, the very best of our efforts. has steadily created alongside larger canvases. For their admiration of the artist’s importance, Never­before­seen objects from the artist’s the curator’s impeccable work, and in recog­ studio as well as painting experiments on metal nition of their endless contributions, I gratefully and even carpet samples represent a simulta­ acknowledge colleagues Mandy Bartram, neous, companion vein of creativity that Registrar; Jeffrey Bussmann, Associate illuminates our understanding of the artist’s Director of Development for Individual Gifts; full production. Robert Chaney, Director of Curatorial Affairs; I am grateful to work again with The Edna Eliza Coviello, Administrative Coordinator & W. Andrade Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation. Assistant to the Director; Lauren Downing, I thank Chief Curator Helaine Posner, Director Curatorial Administrative Assistant; Anthony Tracy Fitzpatrick, and the Neuberger Museum Elms, Chief Curator; Shannon Freitas, Business of Art for this fruitful collaboration. Special Administrator; Samantha Gibb Roff, Director acknowledgments are due