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smi@studiomontclair.org
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Karen Heagle: Window 3 installation

Karen Heagle: Window 3 installation

SKU: 2021-00058.

My recent work equates queer identity more broadly with otherness. Breaking down the inherent binary hierarchies, of humans over animals, as it relates to biological orders, gender difference, race, and economics. The vulture is a subject that occurs frequently. In both Untitled Griffon Vulture Soothsayer I, and II, the vultures forebodingly loom with heads framed in gold. Often regarded as a bird of prey the vulture is more accurately a scavenger. Notably their singular ability to consume decaying remains separates them from other predatory birds. In the Tibetan funeral practice of sky burial, darker more primordial actions are suggested as the vultures vigorously consume the bloodied decaying human remains removing them from the earth. In ancient times on tomb relief sculptures, as well as in talismanic imagery for presumed rituals, the vulture’s appearance is often linked with the afterlife.


These explorations of the vulture have found connection with environmental movements further deepening the influences of feminist scholarship. Among them, Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle’s Ecosexuality; Archeologist Marja Gimbutas unusual theories of a Neolithic matriarchal civilization who worshiped the Goddess, engaging ritualized images of sacred animals serving as language, and Donna Haraway’s recent writings, regarding speculative feminism, and tentacular interspecies relationships. Her contentions effectively disavows end-times scenarios that are essentially anthropocentric. Rather she asserts that strengthening our symbiotic relations with nature itself, is how life best continues on a damaged planet.
Often caricatured for their ravishment, the vulture succinctly captures the ever-present carnality of the patriarchy. For me the vulture is a continually evolving symbol shapeshifting between eros and violence while weighing feminine and masculine aspects of the self. The predatory acts of hyenas, and other beings in the wild continue to allude to the brutal nature of current events, and contemporary culture.
My paintings are created with water-based mediums; watercolor, acrylic paints, drawing inks, and recently color pencil additions. A blunt physicality of brushwork and emotional expression evoked in charged colors divert the potentially gratuitous imagery. Much of my work includes areas of metallic leaf. While the leafing bears resemblance to religious icon painting, it also alludes to alchemical transformations of corporeal material into virtuous gold. The wildlife portrayed in these works suggest deities. Invocations, the title of my recent exhibition, refers both to the magical formula to conjure up a spirit, and also to the opening prayer of a religious ceremony. In Fox with Stinging Nettles, a bat-eared fox confronts the viewer, beside it, a branch of stinging nettles, a medicinal herb that is a common weed sometimes used in witchcraft.

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Category: WomynsWerq. Tags: Collage, installation, Mixed Media, painting, representational.
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EDUCATION:
Skowhegan, Maine, 1997
MFA, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, 1995
BFA, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin, 1990 West Surrey College of Art, Farnham, England 1989

EXHIBITIONS:
2017
Beat (with Kate Gilmore), On Stellar Rays Gallery, New York City
2013
Battle Armor, Churner and Churner Gallery, New York City
2011
Let Nature Take Its Course and Hope It Passes, I-20 Gallery, New York
2008
She’ll Get Hers, I-20 Gallery, New York

2006
Strictly Naturals, I-20 Gallery, New York
2003
Fierce, 31GRAND, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
2001
Puritans, Perverts, and Feminists, 31GRAND, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2018
Head2Head, Albert Merola Gallery, Provincetown, MA
Cast of Characters, Bureau of General Services: Queer Division, LGBT Center, NYC curated by Liz Collins
2017
The World Without Us, Brennan and Grin Gallery, New York City
The Objectness of Paper, Albert Merola Gallery, Providencetown, MA curated by Richard Tinkler
Found: Queerness as Archeology; Queerness as Abstraction, The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, curated by Avram Finkelstein, New York City
2016
Erik Hanson: Two Years of Looking, New Art Projects, London
2015
Soft Core, Invisible Exports Gallery, New York.
Second Annual Summer Invitational, Life On Mars Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014
The Last Picture Show, final show, Churner and Churner Gallery, New York.
Interior Dialogues, Sargent’s Daughters Gallery, New York.
2013
Visualizing a Presence, curated by Marina Ancona and Aimee Gwynne Franklin, The Barbara Walters Gallery at Sarah Lawrence College Heimbold Visual Arts Center, Bronxville, NY.
wild moon, curated by Liz Insogna, Court Tree Collective, Brooklyn
Paper, The Saatchi Gallery, London
I Killed My Father, I Ate Human Flesh, I Quiver with Joy: A Pasolini Obsession, curated by Benjamin Tischer and Risa Needleman, Allegra La Viola Gallery, New York
2012
Art on Paper Biennial, Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Greensboro, NC
Shake O the Dust, Allegra LaViola Gallery, New York
The Mutable Portrait, Cliord Chance, curated by Jacob Robichaux, New York
2010
Raw State, curated by Marina Ancona, Shelby Street Gallery, Santa Fae, NM
Next Wave Art, Brooklyn Academy of Music, curated by Dan Cameron.
Lush Life 3: First Birds (A Few Butterflies), curated by Franklin Evans, Omar Lopez-Chahoud, Invisible Exports, New York.
Elements of Nature: Selections from the Fredrick R. Weisman Art Foundation. City of Lancaster Museum, Lancaster, CA. June-Aug.
2009
Lover, curated by Kate Gilmore and Candice Madey, On Stellar Rays, New York.
2008
The Guys we Would Fuck, curated by Nayland Blake. Monya Rowe Gallery, New York.
2007
I remember nothing…, SHAG Sehlman Helwaser Art Gallery, New York Warm and Willing; New
Monotypes, 10 Grand Press- Brooklyn.
No New Tale To Tell, 31 Grand Gallery, New York
2006
Men, organized by Ellen Alfest, I-20 Gallery, New York
Panic Room: Selections from the Dakis Joanau Collection, Deste Foundation Centre For Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
You have to be almost gifted to do what I do, curated by Oliver Newton and Steven Stewart, Alexander and Bonin
2004
Rimbaud, curated by Max Henry, I-20 Gallery, New York Armory Art Show 2004, Daniel Reich Gallery, New York.
2003
Superheroes, Ruby Green Contemporary Art, Nashville, Tennessee
Now Playing, curated by John Connelly, Damelio Terras, New York
Girls Gone Wild, curated by Katherine Bernhardt, Bronwyn Keenan, New York
2002
Queer Visualities, curated by Carl Pope, Stony Brook University Art Gallery, New York
Enough About Me, Momenta Art, curated by Deborah Kass, Brooklyn, New York
2001
Smirk: Woman, Art, Humor, curated by Debra Wacks, Firehouse Art Gallery, Nassau Community College, Long Island
Danica Phelps: Trade Two, LFL Gallery, New York

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Jovanvich, Alex. ‘The World Wthout Us,’ Critics Pick: Artforum.com (August 2017)

Cotter, Holland. ‘Art Once Shunned, Now Celebrated in Found: Queer Archeology, Queer Abstraction,’ The New York Times, (August 25, 2017 Page C 11)

Saltz, Jerry. ‘Things to do: Kate Gilmore and Karen Heagle, Beat,’ New York Magazine, January 25- February 8, 2017

Haynes, Clarity. How We Got Here: Portrait of the Artist as a Queer Feminist, Hyperallergic (March 24, 2015)

Insogna, Liz. ‘Fluid Fires.’ Hupost Arts and Culture, The Hungton Post (June 12, 2013).
Rubenstein, Bradley. Nights without Armor Art Slant (June 11, 2013).

Cotter, Holland. Museum and Gallery Listings for June 14-20 The New York Times, June 13, 2013.

Moon, Grace. Karen Heagles Battle Armor at Churner and Churner, Velvet Park (June 7, 2013).

Smith, Roberta. Karen Heagle: Let Nature Take Its Course and Hope It Passes, The New York Times (October 28, 2011): C32.

Wolin, Joseph R. Review: Karen Heagle, Let Nature Take Its Course and Hope It Passes, Time Out New York (October 19, 2011): 33.

Neyenesch, Cassandra. Uncertain Narrative: Q + A with Karen Heagle, Art In America (October 19, 2011):
http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-opinion/conversations/2011-10-19/ karen-heagle-i20.

Rubenstein, Bradley. Beauty and the Beast, Culture Catch (October 3, 2011): http://www.culturecatch.com/art/karen-heagle.

Buhmann, Stephanie. Four galleries oer food for thought, Downtown Express (October 12, 2011): http://www.downtownexpress.com/p=3732. Smith, Roberta. VIVID and PAVERS, The New York Times (January 21, 2011): C30.

Cotter, Holland. Lower East Side Tale, Refracted Nine Times,The New York Times, July 8, 2010.

Walleston, Aimee. Costume Change/ Jimmy Paul, The Moment Blog, Nytimes.com. http://the moment.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/karenheagle/ July 2009.
Finklestein, Avram. Art, History, Pride 09, June 2009.
Rosenberg, Susan. Karen Heagle. Review. Art In America, April 2009. Karen Heagle. The New Yorker, November 25, 2008 4.
Salisbury, Brittany. Karen Heagle. Arforum.com, artform.com/picks/section=nyc#21486 Saltz, Jerry. Looking Back…Sometimes in Anger, Artnet, January 17, 2007
Saltz, Jerry. ‘Moving Arts’, Village Voice, January 5, 2007

Smith, Roberta Chelsea is a Battlefield: Galleries Muster Groups, New York Times, July 28, 2006

Moyer, Carrie. Luscious and Eccentric; Karen Heagles lesbian camp and also a new departure in poignancy, Gay City News, Volume 5, Number 9, March 2 8, 2006

Henry, Max. Karen Heagle, Strictly Naturals, Time Out New York, Issue 544, March 2 8, 2006
Wagner, James. Karen Heagle at I-20, jameswagner.com, January 28, 2006

Winkleman, Edward. Artist of the Week 01/16/06, edwardwinkleman.blogspot.com, January 16, 2006

Smith, Roberta. Girls Gone Wild, New York Times, July 4, 2003, p. 31 Saltz, Jerry. Something Wild, Village Voice, Dec. 25, 2001, p. 73

Hamburger, Susan. Puritans, Perverts, and Feminists @ 31GRAND, Waterfront Week, vol. 11.24, Dec. 13, 2001, p. 6
Wacks, Debra. Smirk: Woman Art Humor. Catalogue

COLLECTIONS:
Judith Rothschild Contemporary Drawing Collection, Museum of Modern Art, New York City
Saatchi Gallery, London
Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece Fundacion/Coleccion Jumex, Mexico City

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medium

Acrylic, Collage, Ink, Pastel, with gold leaf on paper

Website

http://www.karenheagle.com

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  • Exhibits
    • 2025 Exhibits
      • Viewpoints 2025
      • Denis Orloff: A Journey through Painted Landscapes
      • Good Works
      • Strength and Resilience
      • Katie Truk: Macro vs Macro
    • 2024 Exhibits
      • Dwelling In Hope
      • Donna Grande: Evolving Origins & Liminal Perceptions
      • Inspired by Family & Community
      • State of the Art 2024
      • Text
      • Viewpoints 2024
      • Yvette Lucas: Second Nature
      • Black and White Imprint
      • Marsha Heller: Impressions from Nature
      • Across The Line
    • 2023 Exhibits
      • The Life and Culture of Modern Day Latinidad
      • Inspired by the Weight of an Object
      • I AM HERE
      • State of the Art 2023
      • Critique Group Showcase 2023
      • ViewPoints 2023
      • Local Materiality
      • Rhythm and Blues
    • 2022 Exhibits
      • On the SURFACE
      • Pages
      • Inspired by George Inness
      • It’s Academic
      • State of the Art 2022
      • Critique Group Showcase
      • ViewPoints 2022
      • Mujeres del 2021
    • 2021 Exhibits
      • Absolute Abstraction
      • Inspired by an Object
      • State of the Art 2021
      • ViewPoints 2021
      • Womyn’s Werq
      • Privilege, Power, and Everyday Life
    • 2020 Exhibitis
      • ViewPoints 2020
      • Inspired by Dance
      • State of the Art 2020
  • Cart
  • Main Website