spirited women : drawing down fire
DESCRIPTION
This catalog documents the exhibition SPIRITED WOMEN: Drawing Down Fire at Cavin-morris GalleryTRANSCRIPT
SPIRITED WOMEN:Drawing Down Fire
CAVIN-MORRIS GALLERY
1 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 2
SPIRITED WOMEN:Drawing Down Fire
CAVIN-MORRIS GALLERYNew York, NY
3 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 4
SPIRITED WOMEN: Drawing Down Fire
Bessie Harvey was a conjure woman who expressed important spiritual aspects of her culture in compelling and dangerous totemic figures. Amalia is a shamaness among the small Seri Indian group on the Sea of Cortez in Northern Mexico. Anna Zemánková made intense and convoluted drawings of organisms never before seen on Earth. Solange Knopf makes incantatory drawings of a mythical psyche in order to heal and balance her as well as others. Ojibway artist Dawn Walden pushes the envelope of contemporary basketry by observing the way certain birds in the forests around her home obsessively line and weave their nests perpetuating a form of nature-driven sculpture. The paintings of Christine Sefolosha convey a language of dream informed by her African and Swiss residencies, a visual poetry that is completely unstuck in time. Semone Robinson says she considers all of her art to be a spiritual gift from God.
These are only some of the stories in Spirited Women: Drawing Down Fire, an homage to some of the visionary artists showing at Cavin-Morris Gallery.
The women are artists who work away from the blaring racket of the mainstream, with art that is very personal in intention, using it as a language to communicate with the non-material world, whether through trance, mediumship, visions, out of body experiences, or religious ecstasy. For each artist, making this work was and is a process of survival inseparable from daily life. These are women lit by strong individual creative fires.
5 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 6
AmaliaUntitled (Mi poder), c. 1990’s
Ink, graphite, ballpoint pen on paper17 x 14 inches / 43.2 x 35.6 cm
Ama 4
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
7 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 8
AmaliaUntitled (El alacran), c. 1990’s
Colored pencil, ballpoint pen/paper16.5 x 14 inches / 41.9 x 35.6 cm
Ama 5
9 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 10
AmaliaUntitled (El perro), c. 1990’s
Ink, ballpoint pen/paper14 x 17 inches / 35.6 x 43.2 cm
Ama 1
11 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 12
AmaliaUntitled (Mi campamento) c. 1990’s
Ink, ballpoint pen/paper12 x 18 inches / 30.5 x 45.7 cm
Ama 6
13 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Anna ZemánkováUntitled, 1970sPastel, ball point pen, embroidery on paper35.04 x 24.61 inches / 89 x 62.5 cmAZe 587
SPIRITED WOMEN > 14
15 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 16
Anna ZemánkováUntitled, c. 1970s
Pastel, Ballpoint6 x 4.25 inches15.2 x 10.8 cm
Aze 515
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
8.25 x 11.75 inches / 21 x 29.8 cmNoA 104
19 < SPIRITED WOMEN
(Following page)Anna ZemánkováUntitled, c. Mid 1960sPastel on paper24.8 x 34.65 inches / 63 x 88 cmAZe 555
SPIRITED WOMEN > 20
(Following page)Anna Zemánková
Untitled, c. 1960sPastel on paper
23.62 x 31.5 in / 60 x 80 cmAZe 527
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.75 x 8.25 inches / 29.8 x 21 cmNoA 106
23 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 24
Anna ZemánkováUntitled, c. 1968
Pastel, acrylic, ink on paper17.72 x 24.69 in / 45 x 62.7 cm
AZe 545
25 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.75 x 8.25 inches / 29.8 x 21 cmNoA 109
SPIRITED WOMEN > 26
27 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 28
Bessie HarveyJonah and the Whale, 1987
Mixed media14 x 15.5 x 8 inches / 35.6 x 39.4 x
20.3 cmBH 8
29 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.5 x 8.5 inches / 29.2 x 21.6 cmNoA 113
SPIRITED WOMEN > 30
Bessie HarveySnake Eye, 1989
Polychromed wood25 x 14 x 10 in / 63.5 x 35.6 x 25.4 cm
BH 40
31 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.75 x 8.25 inches / 29.8 x 21 cmNoA 114
SPIRITED WOMEN > 32
Bessie HarveyUntitled, 1989
Polychromed wood20.5 x 16.25 x 14 in / 52.1 x 41.3 x 35.6 cm
BH 39
33 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
12.25 x 8.5 inches / 31.1 x 21.6 cmNoA 116
SPIRITED WOMEN > 34
Bessie HarveyTwisted Nose, 1987Polychromed wood
20 x 13 x 9 inches / 50.8 x 33 x 22.9 cmBH 27
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
35 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 36
Bessie HarveyUntitled, 1985
Paint, mixed media/wood15 x 10 x 11 in (38.1 x 25.4 x 27.9 cm)
BH 88
37 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 38
Christine SefoloshaCarcasse, 2011
Oil monotype on cloth58 x 81.5 inches / 147.3 x 207 cm
CSe 90
39 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 40
41 < SPIRITED WOMEN
(Previous page)Christine SefoloshaLa Dispute, 2013Ink, pigments, colored pencil on rice paper chine collé39 x 47.5 in / 99.1 x 120.7 cmCSe 96
SPIRITED WOMEN > 42
(Following page)Christine Sefolosha
Véloce, 2015Ink, mixed media, chine collé on Arches paper
40 x 58 inches / 101.6 x 147.3 cmCSe 108
43 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 44
45 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper11.75 x 8.5 inches / 29.8 x 21.6 cmNoA 125
SPIRITED WOMEN > 46
Christine SefoloshaTroll, 2014
Mixed media on Arches paper27.5 x 19.75 inches / 69.9 x 50.2 cm
CSe 10
47 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.6 x 8.25 inches / 29.5 x 21 cmNoA 128
SPIRITED WOMEN > 48
Dawn WaldenRandom Order, 2014
Cedar bark, cedar roots, and bear grass35 x 16 x 16 in / 88.9 x 40.6 x 40.6 cm
DWa 1
49 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.7 x 8.3 inches / 29.7 x 21.1 cmNoA 130
SPIRITED WOMEN > 50
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper11.6 x 8.3 inches / 29.5 x 21.1 cmNoA 131
51 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 52
Dawn WaldenEbb and Flow I, 2014
Cedar Bark, cedar root, bear grass15 x 24 x 24 inches / 38.1 x 61 x 61 cm
DWa 4
53 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on found paper
11.25 x 16.5 inches / 28.6 x 41.9 cmNoA 134
SPIRITED WOMEN > 54
Dawn Walden“Restless” -- #2 in the series, 2/2015
Cedar Bark, Cedar Roots21 x 12 x 18 inches / 53.3 x 30.5 x 45.7 cm
DWa 5
55 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Untitled, 2014Ink on cardboard
20.75 x 26 inches / 52.7 x 66 cmNoA 136
SPIRITED WOMEN > 56
Kukuli VelardeYo Misma Soy, Isichapuitu Series
1997-2002Clay with mixed media, low fire
22 x 16 x 10 in / 55.9 x 40.6 x 25.4 cmKVe 5
57 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 58
Kukuli VelardeGrief, Isichapuitu Series, 1997-2002
Clay with mixed media, low fire23.5 x 17 x 11 inches / 59.7 x 43.2 x 27.9 cm
KVe 6
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
59 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 60
Kukuli VelardeTallada, Isichapuitu Series, 1997-2002
Clay with mixed media, low fire22 x 16 x 10 inches / 55.9 x 40.6 x 25.4 cm
KVe 8
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
61 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 62
Kukuli VelardeCulebreando, Isichapuitu Series
1997-2002Clay with mixed media, low fire
22 x 16 x 10 inches / 55.9 x 40.6 x 25.4 cmKVe 9
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
63 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 64
Semone RobinsonUntitled, 2015
Acrylic on paper24 x 18 inches / 61 x 45.7 cm
SRo 2
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
65 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 66
Semone RobinsonUntitled, 2015
Ink and crayon on paper24 x 18 inches / 61 x 45.7 cm
versoSRo 3
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
67 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 68
Semone RobinsonUntitled, 2014
Ink and crayon on paper24 x 18 inches / 61 x 45.7 cm
SRo 5
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
69 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 70
Solange KnopfMandragore, 2014
Acrylic, colored pencil, and graphite on Kraft paper
27.5 x 19.5 inches / 69.9 x 49.5 cmSoK 69
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
71 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 72
Solange KnopfIboga, 2014
Acrylic, colored pencil, and graphite on Kraft paper
27.5 x 19.5 inches / 69.9 x 49.5 cmSoK 70
Untitled, 1993Mineral pigment on paper21.25 x 23 in/ 54 x 58.5 cmNel
73 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 74
Solange KnopfLe chant du Tambour, 2015
Colored pencil, and graphite on canson paper
43 x 31 inches / 109.2 x 78.7 cmSoK 73
75 < SPIRITED WOMEN
SPIRITED WOMEN > 76
77 < SPIRITED WOMEN
Copyright © 2015 CAVIN-MORRIS GALLERYCavin-Morris Gallery
210 Eleventh Ave, Ste. 201New York, NY 10001
t. 212 226 3768www.cavinmorris.com
Catalogue design: Sam Richardson & Marissa LevienPhotography: Jurate Veceraite