Lila Katzen: Difference between revisions

In the early 1970s, completely immersed in and known for her sculptures, Katzen created some of her best-known works, such as ''Slip Edge Bliss'' (1973) and ''Trajho'' (1973). Both explore the flexibility of their materials. Katzen stretched and manipulated metals, such as steel and aluminum, to make them appear fluid and ribbon-like. The metal needed to be manipulated immediately and with full knowledge of what the artist wanted to accomplish. The artist explained, "No chance for mistakes. You can’t reroll it. It’ll lose its elasticity."<ref>Munro, p.232.</ref> Starting with thin sheets of metal foil, Katzen would manipulate and fold the material with her fingers, transforming the cold steel with human sensuality. As Donald KulspitKuspit noted,

Many of Katzen's sculptures are large outdoor works. All are designed to relate to their environment, which references her earlier trials and discoveries with light. Katzen also designed her sculptures to withstandrelate andto eventhe site of the work while withstanding and encourageencouraging human interaction, a direct contrast to the [[Minimalist]] aesthetic that was so prevalent in the 1960s.<ref>Nemser, p. 220.</ref> KatzenMany developedof deepher emotionalsculptures connectionsare torearrangeable herand work,extend consideringthe theminvitation to besit, likeswing, herlie children.down, Sheor hascrawl saidunder thatthem.<ref>{{Cite shejournal “feels|last1=Katzen marvelous|first1=Lila when|last2=Tacha her|first2=Athena works|last3=Ferrara find|first3=Jackie a|last4=Withers home”<ref>{{cite|first4=Josephine |date=1979 web|title=LilaThree Women Sculptors Katzen|url=httphttps://www.groundsforsculpturejstor.org/c_lkatze.htmstable/3177510 |publisherjournal=GroundsFeminist forStudies Sculpture|accessdatevolume=April5 |issue=3, 2013|pages=507–511 |doi=10.2307/3177510 |jstor=3177510 |issn=0046-3663}}</ref> WhereasKatzen herdeveloped best-knowndeep sculpturalemotional workconnections begunto inher the 1970s was characterized by smoothwork, sinuous,considering roundedthem curvesto oftenbe describedlike asher "lyrical,"children. inShe thehas earlysaid 1990s,that she produced“feels amarvelous newwhen bodyher ofworks work whose pieces consisted of welded sharp and jagged pieces of steel described by one writer as "harsh and aggressive," representingfind a fragmented and fragile culture.home”<ref>{{Citecite book|last=Self|first=Danaweb|title=Lila Katzen|url=http: Force I, Sculptures and Drawings//www.groundsforsculpture.org/c_lkatze.htm|publisher=UlrichGrounds Museumfor of ArtSculpture|yearaccessdate=1995|isbn=|location=WichitaApril 3, KS|pages=2013}}</ref> Pieces in this body of work include ''Nerve Threads'' (1992), ''Muzzle Warp'' (1993)'','' and ''Paleolithic Map'' (1993)''.''

Katzen was also an outspoken opponent of [[sexual discrimination]] and was known for her commitment to the [[feminist movement]] in the arts. Katzen recounted her own experiences with sexual discrimination. According to her, while her teacher, Hans Hofmann, was supportive of her work while in the studio, he became irritated when he discovered she was serious about her career as an artist. In one incident, during a dinner party that Katzen planned for Hofmann and his friends, Hofmann gave a toast to art declaring, "Only the men have the wings."<ref>Munro, p. 208</ref> Katzen was outraged and the two argued. In fact, Katzen's art was viewed differently because of her outspoken feminisnfeminism: a [[New York Times]] review of a sculpture called ''Ruins and Constructions'' linked Katzen's use of [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] motifs to her "militant feminism."<ref>{{cite news|last=Raynor|first=Vivien|title=Art: Bronze Sculptures of Renoir and Guino: Review|newspaper=The New York Times|year=1984}}</ref>

[[Mary Beth Edelson]]'s feminist piece [[Some Living American Women Artists (collage)|''Some Living American Women Artists / Last Supper'']] (1972) appropriated [[Leonardo da Vinci]]’s ''The Last Supper'', with the heads of notable women artists collaged over the heads of Christ and his apostles; Katzen was among those notable women artists. This image, addressing the role of religious and art historical iconography in the subordination of women, became "one of the most iconic images of the [[feminist art movement]]."<ref name="Frost Art Museum">{{cite web|url=http://drawingproject.frostartmuseum.org/mary-beth-edelson/|title=Mary Beth Edelson|work=The Frost Art Museum Drawing Project|accessdate=11 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Clara - Edelson">{{cite web|url=http://clara.nmwa.org/index.php?g=entity_detail&entity_id=1321|title=Mary Beth Adelson|work=Clara - Database of Women Artists|publisher=National Museum of Women in the Arts|location=Washington, D.C.|accessdate=10 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110213429/http://clara.nmwa.org/index.php?g=entity_detail&entity_id=1321|archive-date=10 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* [https://www.wnyc.org/story/lila-katzen/ Interview with Lila Katzen] at the [http://www.wnyc.org/archives WNYC Archives]

[[Category:20th-centuryCooper womenUnion artistsalumni]]