4Eva

Audrey Newton

Opening 05.09.18 6-8pm
Artist Talks 27.09.18 6-7pm

4Eva is a sculptural installation which draws attention to the gendered materialities and the risks taken that have been present in sculptural histories, particularly in the work of American artist, Eva Hesse. Hesse’s works were a sensual retort against the male dominated Minimalist movement of the 1960’s and 70’s. Using materials that included plastics, fibreglass, latex and resin, it was speculated that these may have led to a rapid disintegration in her health. Hesse died of a brain tumour at the age of 34. 

4Eva addresses these materials furtive identities through their formal manipulations. These furtive identities lie in the risk that was taken by Hesse and how they plagued the artist to keep working with the materials even through being aware of the risks. The risks that lay in choosing to work with ephemeral, flesh-like materials during a time where the dialogue between artist and sculpture was about removing the artist’s hand to ultimately produce a hard-edged, long-lasting finished product. Through material investigations of Hesse’s work, I also examine the polarising nature of each material - their hard or soft identities, their lustre or dullness and their durability or decay.

This is an ode to Eva Hesse's feminine resilience even through knowing the risk of death and impermanence- her own and her works.