The first solo-exhibition of sculptures made out of cedar and other organic matter by artist Ursula von Rydingsvard, The Contour of Feeling, will be on display at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C. from March 22 through July 28.
This is von Rydingsvard’s biggest exhibit in the U.S. to date that showcases her use of materials like cow intestines that form a paper-like sheet in “Untitled (Stacked Blankets).”
Born in 1942 in Germany, von Rydingsvard spent most of her childhood in post-WWII refugee camps. She later immigrated to Connecticut, U.S. in 1950. Daughter of a woodcutter, she belongs to a long line of peasant farmers.
“This landmark exhibition of monumental sculptures by Ursula von Rydingsvard illuminates the process by which the artist gives outward visual form to her ideas and emotions,” notes the exhibit brief, adding that expressive sculptures made out of cedar are accompanied by poetic explorations in paper pulp, leather, linen, and other organic materials.
The Contour of Feeling exhibit shows her artworks made since 2000. Her sculptures hint at biographical, religious and cultural references, while remaining abstract and evocative. All her sculptures on display involved hard labor and some sculptures took an entire year to complete.
“Wearing safety gear and wielding heavy machinery, von Rydingsvard and her team saw, slice, stack, glue, and mark the works with graphite before assembling their final forms. Towering vertical structures, sprawling floor-based works, and expansive wall constructions inspire awe and introspection,” the exhibit brief adds.
Organized by the Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, and by guest curator Mark Rosenthal, the exhibit is supported by National Endowment for the Arts, among other organizations and individual donors.
RBC Wealth Management and City National Bank, Sue J. Henry, Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund, Clara M. Lovett, Share Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Galerie Lelong & Co. are among organizations and individual donors whose funding made possible the presentation of the exhibit at NMWA.
Tickets are priced at $10, which can be purchased here.