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Portrait (1982), silver dye bleach print.

AAP
Alumni
Archive

Louise Lawler

B.F.A. '69

Portrait (1982), silver dye bleach print.

Shifting Boundaries

Text provided by Louise Lawler, through Grace Sachi Troxell, MFA '21.

Louise Lawler recalls her time as an art student at Cornell and getting started as an artist in New York City:

I mostly resist interviews and personal profiles, not wanting to intrude on the reception of my work that I hope functions without me.

However, I am grateful for my time at Cornell and the community that made working generative.

Coming to New York City, I was more involved with work that didn't need a gallery or a stage — work epitomized by the Grand Union Dance Group (member Barbara Dilley was at Cornell one summer) and 112 Greene Street (co-founded by Gordon Matta-Clark, it also exhibited works of Susan Rothenberg — both studied at Cornell). At the time, there was less distance, sometimes none at all, between audience and performer, who were sometimes the same — parallel to my experience of working and studying in Ithaca, between and beyond departments, making this style of collaboration familiar.  

The Earth Art exhibit at Cornell in 1969 illustrated to us that there were alternative and viable ways of working to intervene in and enter the broader world. Exposure to these practices and people made going to New York City less daunting, a community in hand. 

black and white photo of plastic stretched out over a lawn facing Olin library at Cornell University

Early work on Cornell's Art Quad by Louise Lawler. photo / provided

Early work on Cornell's Art Quad by Louise Lawler. photo / provided

Projects

Selected Work

image of a photograph hung over a sheet on a wall above a bed

WAR IS TERROR (2001/2003), silver dye bleach print, 30" x 25-3/4", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

WAR IS TERROR (2001/2003)

An interior angle of a red and green Andy Warhol portriat on the wall

Andy in L.A. (2004), silver dye bleach print, 29-1/2" x 23-1/2", installation view of the exhibition Louise Lawler: Andy in Chicago (2019), the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Andy in L.A. (2004)

image of a large open atrium with art on the walls and many skylights

Installation view of the exhibition Louise Lawler: Andy in Chicago (2019), the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Louise Lawler: Andy in Chicago exhibition (2019)

image of art on the wall in an open atrium with skylights and people on walking on the wood floor

Installation view of the exhibition Louise Lawler: Andy in Chicago (2019), the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Louise Lawler: Andy in Chicago exhibition (2019)

black and white rendering of an abstract painting above a ceramic service

Pollock and Tureen (traced) (1984/2013), adhesive wall material, dimensions variable at any scale determined by exhibitor, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Pollock and Tureen (traced) (1984/2013)

a circular crop of a fancy interior with many seats, art on the walls, with blue walls and a chandelier

Untitled (Salon Hodler) (1992), paperweight (silver dye bleach print, crystal, felt) with text on wall, 2" x 3-1/2, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Untitled (Salon Hodler) (1992)

image of the inside of a building with a Robert Longo photograph on one side and a window overlooking cities on the left

Arranged by Donald Marron, Susan Brundage, Cheryl Bishop at Paine Webber Inc., NYC (1982), gelatin silver print, 17-1/4" x 23-1/4", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Arranged by Donald Marron, Susan Brundage,
Cheryl Bishop at Paine Webber Inc., NYC (1982)

image of a Maurizio Cattelan piece of Picasso figure wrapped, the head is wrapped in plastic and the body is laid on a moving blanket with a photograph in the background

Big (2002/2003), silver dye bleach print, 52-3/4" x 46-1/2", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Big (2002/2003)

a green and yellow parrot looking backwards at the camera against a solid red background

Portrait (1982), silver dye bleach print, 19-5/8" × 19-5/8".

Portrait (1982)

A view of a Gordon Matta Clark section of a building inside of a museum

Cities (2004/2005), silver dye bleach print, 39-1/2" x 44", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Cities (2004/2005)

A view of many pieces of art, a Takashi Murakami on the left, a large inflatable work of a character with wild eyes and a mouth, and a stacking of Warhols with more images and artworks to the right

Pollyanna (2007/2008), silver dye bleach print, 30-1/8" x 24-1/8", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Pollyanna (2007/2008)

A Richard Artshwager table work on the left with a white monochrome painting behind inside the MoMA

Formica (2011/2012), silver dye bleach print, 36-3/4" x 34-1/2", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Formica (2011/2012)

an image of 2 tall drinking glasses with words etched "No Drones"

No Drones (2013), pair of embossed glasses, 5-5/16" x 2", courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

No Drones (2013)

Text that says "She made no attempt to rescue art from ritual" with check boxes for yes or no

Poster for A Spot on the Wall exhibition (1995), printed paper, 16-1/2" x 23-1/4", Neue Galerie, Graz, Austria, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures Gallery.

A Spot on the Wall exhibition poster (1995)

A view of a billboard with triangles and a photograph on it above a parking lot near the highline, nyc

Triangle (adjusted to fit) (2008/2009/2011), adhesive wall material, dimensions variable to match proportions of a given wall at any scale determined by exhibitor, installation view (2014), the High Line, New York City, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Triangle (adjusted to fit) (2008/2009/2011)

image of a bleacher stand in front of a photograph and some audio equipment at PS1, Queens

Cities (adjusted to fit) (2004/2005/2015), adhesive wall material, dimensions variable to match proportions of a given wall at any scale determined by exhibitor, installation view (2015), MoMA PS1, Queens, New York, courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures.

Cities (adjusted to fit) (2004/2005/2015)

Explore more Alumni from the 1960s

Alan Chimacoff B.Arch. '64
Mui Ho B.Arch. '66

Back to Alumni Archive

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