From the Center

Cynthia Carlson, Judy Chicago, Nancy Graves, Rita Myers, Shirley Pettibone, Adrian Piper, Reeva Potoff, Nancy Spero, Barbara Zucker Duane Thomas Gallery is delighted to present an exhibition that pays homage to Lucy Lippard’s groundbreaking publication, From the Center: Feminist Essays on Women’s Art, originally published in 1976. This seminal collection of essays has played a pivotal role in shaping the discourse surrounding women’s art and has been a source of inspiration for generations of artists and scholars. The exhibition, aptly titled From the Center, seeks to activate Lippard’s influential ideas by showcasing a selection of artworks that echo the themes explored in her groundbreaking book. Highlights of the exhibition include Cynthia Carlson’s “Untitled (Inscape) #1,” from 1970, a prominent painting from that era recently featured in Lippard’s recreation of “26 Contemporary Women Artists” at the Aldrich Museum, CT. Barbara Zucker’s “Advancing Forms” (1974), a dynamic sculpture made from repetitive organic shapes that might recall stunted fingers and reminiscent of other works of the period such as “Dark Huts” (1973) and “Mix, Stir, Pour” (1972). Nancy Graves’s film “Reflections on the Moon” (1974) a meditative and cinematic scroll through two hundred stills of the lunar surface, while Reeva Potoff ’s “Mica Schist ‘’ (1971), reconstructs both sides of an outcropping in Central Park through 57 individual still photographs. It invites viewers to contemplate each individual photograph as an abstract entity, complete unto itself, as well as its contribution to the image as a whole. Rita Myers’s video “Slow Squeeze” (1973) subverts the role of the artist by engaging in an 11-minute imperceptible zoom-in, adjusting her body to remain within the confines of the frame. A scroll from Nancy Spero’s 1971 introspective take on Artaud’s writings (Codex Artaud XXXI) and Judy Chicago’s “Peeling Back,” a print originated from a “Female Rejection Drawing” (1974) acts as a political manifesto for the full recognition of women’s enduring genius and participation in art history despite rejection and systemic oppression. The exhibition not only celebrates the artistic achievements of these trailblazing women but also reflects on the lasting impact of Lucy Lippard’s critical perspectives on women’s art by providing access to publications and archives, particularly Lippard’s most celebrated books and issues of “Heresies” magazine. From the Center invites viewers to engage with the rich history of feminist art and consider its continued relevance in contemporary conversations about gender, identity, and artistic expression. The gallery would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their help and collaboration in the making of this exhibition: Accola Griefen Gallery, New York (Barbara Zucker), The Adrian Piper Research Archive Foundation, Berlin, Jessica Silverman, San Francisco (Judy Chicago), Galerie Lelong & Co, New York (the estate of Nancy Spero), Mitchell-Innes and Nash Gallery (the estate of Nancy Graves) for their kind participation and help in making this exhibition possible.