Francesca Woodman, Caryatid, New York, 1980
Diazotype, 227.3 x 92.1 cm
Courtesy George and Betty Woodman

© 2012 George and Betty Woodman
Francesca Woodman is a comprehensive exhibition that documents the brief career of the artist of the same name and is currently on view at the Guggenheim, New York. Francesca Woodman was born in 1958 in Denver, Colorado into a family of artists. She started to further realize and develop her photographic vision, first while still in high school in 1972 at the Abbot Academy in Massachusetts then completing secondary school back in Colorado.  In between she was fortunate enough to spend summers with her family in Tuscany, Italy which not only played an important role in her artistry but also allowed her to become fluent in the Italian language. Woodman continued to hone in and study photography more professionally at the Rhode Island School of Design from 1975-1978 with yet another stint in Italy, this time Rome, with the University, between 1977-78.
The exhibition at the Guggenheim is one of the most detailed and cohesive collections of her work to date. Featuring more than 120 photographs, artist books, and some recently discovered videos, the exhibition originated at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and was curated by Corey Keller, Associate Curator of Photography, SFMOMA.
Francesca Woodman, Untitled, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976
Gelatin silver print, 14 x 14.1 cm
Courtesy George and Betty Woodman
© 2012 George and Betty Woodman

Working almost entirely with her own body in space, whether interior or exterior, Francesca Woodman brought attention to the concept of presence versus serenity. Her photographs each have a particular sense of unease. They are compositionally quite painterly, however graphic in their bold, square, mostly black and white format. In a wave of disconcerting energy, one can only now vividly imagine the thoughts that were going through the young artists mind, as she searched for her own self image over and over again, also occasionally using her friends as doppelgangers mise-en-scène.

Francesca Woodman, Untitled, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976
Gelatin silver print, 13.3 x 13.5 cm
Courtesy George and Betty Woodman
© 2012 George and Betty Woodman
Historically, the self-portrait has been a draw to artists for centuries. During the Renaissance, everyone from Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Pontormo utilized their own facial image in constructing a narrative within the frame of a painting/fresco. Later, Rembrandt was known for his more than 90 self-portraits dating from the 1620’s until his death in 1669. Fast forward to the 1960’s and 1970’s. Women artists were still looking for steady ground within the art community and New York based painter Alice Neel often used her own body, even if in unflattering seated positions as the featured subject of many paintings. In the world of photography, Diane Arbus, was making a mark for herself shooting stark, black and white images ranging from self-portraits to societal rejects of the time.  In following suit, but also making a mark of her own, Francesca Woodman managed to construct a body of work that was both poignant, hip to the times and visually engaging. However, like Diane Arbus, the artist experienced some difficult emotional times. Arbus took her life by overdosing on barbiturates and slashing her wrists in 1971. Just ten years later, Francesca Woodman also took her life after moving to New York to further establish her photographic career. The artist had experienced some severe mood swings and had a previous failed attempt at suicide but managed to take her own life by jumping from a window or her then loft in Manhattan.  At the youthful age of 22 years old, she had already succeeded in commencing upon building a career and body of work that was enviable. However, in the bubble of what is depression, sometimes the mind wins (or rather loses) over the eyes and each unknown promise that the future may hold.
Francesca Woodman, Untitled, New York, 1979–80
Chromogenic print, 8.6 x 8.9 cm
Courtesy George and Betty Woodman
© 2012 George and Betty Woodman
Francesca Woodman, in currently on view in the 4th Floor Annex of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,  1071 Fifth Avenue, New York from March 16th-June 13th 2012.
More soon
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