Nancy Spero Bücher

Nancy Spero is a compelling artist whose multifaceted work delves into existential questions, particularly the dynamics between the sexes and the impact of violence. Central to her expression is the human figure, focusing exclusively on depictions of women from 1974 onward. By incorporating images from ancient Egyptian and pre-Columbian art to modern fashion advertising, she recontextualizes these motifs, prompting essential inquiries about femininity and the female experience. Spero's unique artistic style blends collages, prints, and paintings, often utilizing long strips of paper adorned with collages, scripts, or prints created with custom plates, redefining the idea of ancient murals or scrolls. This book offers an extensive look at her creative output over more than four decades, drawing from significant works in her estate, public institutions, and private collections. It also illuminates the art scene of her time, highlighting Spero's influential role through the voices of contemporary witnesses. Co-published with Museum Folkwang, Essen, this exploration of her work is both a tribute to her originality and a reflection on the broader cultural context in which she operated.

The traditional landscape genre was radically transformed in the 1960s when many artists stopped merely representing the land and made their mark directly in the environment. Drawn by the vast uncultivated spaces of the desert and mountain as well as post-industrial wastelands, artists such as Michael Heizer, Nancy Holt or Robert Smithson moved earth to create colossal primal symbols. Others punctuated the horizon with man-made signposts, such as Christo's Running Fence or Walter de Maria's Lightning Field. Journeys became works of art for Richard Long whilst Dennis Oppenheim and Ana Mendieta immersed their bodies in the contours of the land.

Hans Ulrich Obrist traf die große alte Dame der amerikanischen Konzeptkunst u. a. in ihrem Atelier. Eindringlich und zugleich mit großer Präzision spricht Spero über ihre Arbeiten, die immer wieder die Frau als universales Symbol in den Mittelpunkt stellen. Nancy Spero, die 2007 an der Biennale in Venedig beteiligt ist, umreißt ihre mehr als 50jährige Schaffenszeit.