Abakanowicz, Magdalena

Abakanowicz, Magdalena
born June 20, 1930, Falenty, Pol.

Polish sculptor.

A descendant of nobility, she graduated from Warsaw's Academy of Fine Arts in 1955. She became the pioneer and leading exponent of sculpture made of woven fabrics, calling her three-dimensional weavings "Abakans" (from her surname). She produced series of fabric forms called Heads (1975), Backs (1976–80), Embryology (1980), and Catharsis (1986). She has also exhibited paintings, drawings, and sculptures in other media internationally and has been widely imitated in Europe and the U.S.

* * *

▪ Polish artist
born June 20, 1930, Falenty, Poland

      Polish artist whose massive series of sculptures earned her international acclaim.

      A descendant of Polish nobility, Abakanowicz studied at the School of Fine Arts in Sopot, Poland (1949), and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (1954). She began working as an independent artist in 1956 and initially earned success for large, three-dimensional woven sculptures known as Abakans, a derivation of her family name. These monumental, often garmentlike, pieces are ambiguous and compelling. Although initially Abakanowicz was best known for her work with textiles, she also exhibited paintings and drawings. Her later work, generally made of hard surfaces—though several contained fibres, rope, or textiles—characteristically employed groupings of repeated forms often based on the human body (described by one critic as “headless human husks”) or on animals or trees. These forms are similar in appearance and gesture to one another, but each has its individuality. Works such as Heads (1975), Backs (1976–82), and Embryology (1978–81) were composed of multiple forms, primarily made of organic materials such as burlap, rope, and canvas. Much of her later work was done in bronze, stone, or concrete: Katarsis (1985; 33 cast bronze sculptures); Becalmed Beings (1993; 40 cast bronze figures); and Space of Stone (2003; 22 granite blocks). Many are large permanent outdoor installations. These are scattered throughout the world in places such as Jerusalem; Seoul; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Kansas City, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Lisbon; Paris; and New York City.

      Her artwork appeared internationally in more than 100 group and solo exhibitions. From 1965, she taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Poland, becoming a professor in 1979.

Additional Reading
Studies include Barbara Rose, Magdalena Abakanowicz (1994); and Joanna Inglot, The Figurative Sculpture of Magdalena Abakanowicz: Bodies, Environments, and Myths (2004).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Abakanowicz, Magdalena — (n. 20 jun. 1930, Falenty, Polonia). Escultora polaca. Descendiente de la nobleza, se graduó en la Academia de Bellas Artes de Varsovia en 1955. Es pionera y exponente destacada de la escultura en arpillera, y llamó a sus tejidos tridimensionales …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Magdalena Abakanowicz — (born June 20, 1930, in Falenty, Poland) is a Polish sculptor. She is notable for her use of textiles as a sculptural medium. She was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Poland from 1965 to 1990 and a visiting professor at… …   Wikipedia

  • Magdalena Abakanowicz — Nacimiento 1930 (hace 81 años) Varsovia Nacionalidad  Polonia …   Wikipedia Español

  • ABAKANOWICZ (M.) — ABAKANOWICZ MAGDALENA (1930 ) Artiste polonaise née à Falenty, Magdalena Abakanowicz est issue d’une famille de l’aristocratie terrienne; elle a vécu les pires épisodes de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et de la guerre froide: l’invasion nazie, la… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Magdaléna — Magdalena Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Magdalena est une variante du prénom hébreu Magdalene. Elle est notamment présente dans les langues allemande, suédoise, roumaine espagnole,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Abakanowicz — Kunstwerk von Magdalena Abakanowicz in Poznań Magdalena Abakanowicz – Mutant, Kunstweg MenschenSpuren …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Magdalena — (De María Magdalena, personaje del evangelio .) ► sustantivo femenino 1 COCINA Bollo o bizcocho pequeño hecho de harina, huevos, leche, azúcar y aceite, que se cuece en moldes de diversos tipos: ■ merienda magdalenas con chocolate. 2 Persona muy… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Magdalena — /mag deuh lay neuh, lee /; Sp. /mahg dhah le nah/, n. 1. a river in SW Colombia, flowing N to the Caribbean. 1060 mi. (1705 km) long. 2. a female given name. * * * (as used in expressions) Abakanowicz Magdalena Kahlo y Calderón de Rivera… …   Universalium

  • Magdalena Abakanowicz — [magda lɛna abaka nɔvʲitʃ] (* 20. Juni 1930 in Raszyn Falenty, Polen) ist eine polnische Bildhauerin und Textilkünstlerin. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Ausstellungsteilnahme 3 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Abakanowicz — is a surname originating from the szlachta of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth under the Abdank Coat of Arms in Polish HeraldryA. Boniecki, Herbarz polski , t. 1, Warszawa 1899, s. 17.] S. Uruski, Rodzina. Herbarz szlachty polskiej , t. 1,… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”