Gloria Kisch

American artist (1941–2014)

Gloria Kisch

Born| 1941 (1941)

New York City

Died| 2014 (aged 72-73)
Nationality| American

Gloria Kisch (1941–2014) was an American artist and sculptor known especially for her early post-Minimalist paintings and wall sculptures, and her later large-scale work in metal.

## Early life and education

[edit]

Born in New York City in 1941 to the German immigrants Max and Hilda Stern, Gloria initially completed an undergraduate degree at Sarah Lawrence College in 1963, before leaving for California, where she would spend the next two and a half decades of her life.[1]

## Time in California

[edit]

In 1963, Kisch enrolled at the Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, where she studied alongside artists such as Bas Jan Ader and Barry Le Va, earning a BFA and completing her MFA in 1969.[1][2] While at Otis she embarked on a series of hard-edge paintings, described by the critic Naomi Baker in the San Diego Evening Tribune as "geometric paintings, vivid and sharply defined with color areas and shapes."[3]

Beginning in 1971, while living in Venice Beach, Kisch's work became increasingly sculptural, described by the critic Melinda Terbell Wortz in Artweek in 1974 as "more like wall sculptures than paintings."[4] Her early sculptures were in a post-Minimalist vein and were compared to works by her contemporaries Eva Hesse and Bruce Nauman.[4][5]

In the 1970s, Kisch taught and exhibited her work at the newly founded cooperative gallery Womanspace in the non-profit arts and education center The Woman’s Building established by artist Judy Chicago, designer Sheila Levant de Bretteville, and critic Arlene Raven at Otis College in Los Angeles. There, Kisch’s work was included in the exhibitions Open Invitational and Female Sexuality, and in 1977, she led an extension program in sculpture.[6][1][7] In 1973, Suzanne Saxe Gallery in San Francisco presented a solo exhibition of Kisch's work in which she displayed hanging, leaning, or suspended groups and pairings of “totems”, bamboo segments she had wrapped and coated in silicone, plaster, sand, paint and other substances which suggested the "powerful presence of ritualistic objects."[8][1] That same year, she debuted 'Wall Pieces' at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now the Orange County Museum of Art).[2] During this period, Kisch’s work was also shown at various college and university art galleries in California, including Santa Monica College where she exhibited alongside Betye Saar, Judy Chicago, Claire Falkenstein, and Ynez Johnston, and at the University of California Irvine where Kisch installed her first large-scale outdoor sculpture, ‘Double Zero.’[9] In 1977, Kisch created an environmental installation for her solo exhibition, ‘The Tomb’, organized by the gallery at California State University, Los Angeles.[10][11] Beginning in 1975, Kisch began showing regularly at Cirrus gallery, an influential gallery and print publishing workshop in Los Angeles.[12][13] In 1977, Kisch produced prints with the workshop’s master printmaker Jean Milant, which were exhibited in ‘Made in LA; The Prints of Cirrus Editions’ at LACMA.[14] These prints are in the collections of museums throughout the U.S.[15][16] In 1976, she had her first international solo show in Paris at Stevenson Palluel and was a participant in the Biennale of Sydney.[17]

In 1978 Kisch was included in a landmark group exhibition organized by Southern Exposure at San Francisco's Stephen Wirtz Gallery. Among the other artists shown were John McCracken, Judy Chicago, Bruce Nauman, Ed Ruscha, Kenneth Price, Richard Diebenkorn, and Edward Kienholz.[1] That same year, she also had a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art titled 'Zeu.'[18][19] She had her first New York solo show, of The Chimes Series (originally presented at Janus Gallery in Venice, California) at the Touchstone Gallery in 1979.[20] These large-scale as well as tabletop sculptures were formed from rocks Kisch gathered and affixed to the tops of vertical steel rods arranged to suggest the rocks’ potential to create sound, highlighting the energy latent in their form.[21][1]

Curated by Alanna Heiss, in 1980 Kisch’s work was included in a Special Projects Exhibition at New York's Institute for Art and Urban Resources, P.S.1 (now MoMA PS1).[2]

Kisch was named a leading artist in the 1980 ARTnews article covering the Venice California art scene, and was featured in the film Contemporary Artists At Work: Sculptors, a Harcourt Brace and Jovanich film alongside John Chamberlain, Fred Eversley, and John McCracken.[22][1][23][24]

## Return to New York

[edit]

In 1981, Kisch returned to New York City, working briefly on Leonard Street before relocating to Broadway, where she was among the artists moving into converted Soho lofts. She built a studio on the first floor "because of the need to use heavy and bulky material."[1] This same year, The Milwaukee Art Museum exhibited The Leonard Street Series, a group of sixteen large drawings made in oil stick and white gesso inspired by New York City.[1] Following her Milwaukee exhibition, in 1983 Kisch presented The Gateway Series at the Queens Museum and at 55 Mercer Street.[1]

### Functional sculpture

[edit]

Kisch began sculpting almost exclusively with metal in the early 1980s, due in part because metal would give her art a “longer life.”[1] Kisch embarked on "functional sculptures," objects and furnishings that blurred the line between art and design. She exhibited these works at the pioneering Soho gallery Art et Industrie.[2][1] Of her approach to making functional sculpture, Kisch said, “I have eased into functional art, its duality offers a resolution for some of my ideas. Wrapping my fantasies around a preconceived utilitarian object is the basis for this dichotomy.”[25] The art critic Rose Slivka noted that Kisch’s furniture forms ‘look as if they are gloating with the secret of their own utility.'[26][27][28]

In 1988, Kisch’s figurative sculpture ‘Comrades’ was included in the exhibition The Legacy of Surrealism in Contemporary Art at the Ben Shahn Galleries at William Paterson College.[29]

In 1991, Kisch began residing on Long Island. In 2000, she constructed a studio with metalworking and welding workshops on a 40-acre converted duck farm in Flanders, Riverhead, Long Island that she called Three Ponds. Here Kisch began to incorporate elements of nature into her sculpture. “I live by nature and I am inspired by nature.”[30] She began a series of large-scale steel sculptures evoking pond reeds, and later, her well-known free-standing as well as wall-mounted metal flower forms emerged.[31] During this period, Kisch also began her ‘Bells’, stainless steel mobiles conjuring temple bells, chandeliers, and wind chimes, some emitting sound if struck or moved.[26] She worked prolifically at Three Ponds until her death in 2014.[32][33]

Kisch was included in the 1993 exhibition Art and Application at Turbulence Gallery in New York along with artists such as Vito Acconci, John Chamberlain, Richard Artschwager, Michele Oka Doner, Dennis Oppenheim, and Haim Steinbach among others.[1] In 2007, she had a notable two-person show with sculptor Dale Chihuly at the Vered Gallery in East Hampton, NY, where she exhibited her Flowers series.[34][1] In 2009, American Image Books published the monograph Gloria Kisch: Fusion of Opposites, showcasing her sculptural work and in 2010 her work was presented in a solo exhibition at Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY.[19][35] In 2014, Kisch’s flower sculptures were included in an exhibition at the Nassau County Museum of Art.[36]

## Public art

[edit]

Kisch's large scale sculptural work has been featured in sites for public art.[37][38][39] In 1987, Kisch's sculpture Big Apple Christmas Tree was installed in the Robert Moses Plaza at Lincoln Center.[1] Her monumental steel sculpture Octopus II was exhibited in 2002 in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, followed by a presentation of her sculpture Copper Fusion in 2010–11; both installations were organized by the City of New York and the Department of Parks and Recreation.[40] In 2008, Kisch installed ‘Nagas’ on the rooftop terrace of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.[41]

## Kisch's views on art

[edit]

Throughout her life, Kisch traveled and read widely, and was inspired by various cultural traditions, religious art and objects.[1] As she stated to Barbara Wilson in an interview in Current Magazine in 1975–76: "I'm interested in the esthetic quality of eternal timelessness, in ancient art—Greek, Egyptian, and Indian—that seems never outdated."[42] She considered her art to be “spiritual in content,” noting that through the dissonance and harmony present in her sculptures, “I strive to create a place to elate the spirit.”[43][44] She professed an interest in the curative power of art, stating "For a society which has lost its connection with the reasons for human existence, Art serves to reinstate what is important...Art acts as a reminder of eternal values which have served mankind always. Therefore, Art today acts as a curing agent. When we are convinced by Art our values are set straight again. Art cures by reinforcing the importance of our individual songs."[45][17][3][46]

## Personal life

[edit]

Kisch had two children and two grandchildren.[47]

## Posthumous reception

[edit]

Following Kisch's death in 2014, there has been renewed interest in her work. A catalogue of her sculptures, Immortal Flowers, was published by dieFirma and bookdummypress in 2019 in conjunction with an exhibition of her work at dieFirma's New York gallery.[1][48][26] Since 2021, Kisch's work has been presented by Salon 94.[49][31]

## Public collections

[edit]

Kisch's works are in the collections of many institutions in the U.S. and abroad:[2][1][50]

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California

Newport Harbor Art Museum, Newport Beach, California

Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, California

Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut

Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, California

Downey Museum Of Art, Downey, California

Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej, Warsaw, Poland

Neuberger Museum, Purchase, New York

Bergen Museum of Art, Paramus, New Jersey

Mildura Arts Centre, Mildura, Australia

Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, Texas

The Jewish Museum, New York, New York

The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Gloria Kisch: Immortal Flowers. New York: dieFirma and bookdummypress. 2019. ISBN 978-0-9896888-9-5.
2. ^ a b c d e "Gloria Kisch Biography – Gloria Kisch on artnet". www.artnet.com. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
3. ^ a b Baker, Naomi (June 11, 1971). "Gloria Kisch Exhibits Paintings". Evening Tribune.
4. ^ a b Terbell Wortz, Melinda (September 7, 1974). "Goode's Skies, Objects by Kisch, Redl, Sturman". Artweek. 5 (29).
5. ^ "Gloria Kisch". Hamptons Magazine. July 6, 1990.
6. ^ "Woman's Building: History Timeline". Otis College of Art and Design. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
7. ^ "Work of 65 Artists Featured in Womanspace Exhibition". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1973.
8. ^ Albright, Thomas (November 1973). "Candy-Coated Minimalism". San Francisco Chronicle.
9. ^ "Noted Women Artists' Works in SMC Show". Los Angeles Times. March 8, 1973.
10. ^ "Gloria Kisch Timeline". Artnet. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
11. ^ Dorris, Jesse. "GLORIA KISCH: Remembering The Late Artist's Functional Steel Sculpture". archive.pinupmagazine.org. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
12. ^ Frank, Peter (1978-02-01). "Lauren Rothstein, Tom Holste, and Gloria Kisch". Artforum. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
13. ^ Plagens, Peter (1974-11-01). "Los Angeles". Artforum. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
14. ^ Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter (1995-10-15). "ART : Prints of the City : For 25 years, Jean Milant and his shop have provided an influential graphics outlet for some of L.A.'s top artists. LACMA presents 'Made in L.A.: The Prints of Cirrus Editions' in honor of the anniversary". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
15. ^ "The Right Place | LACMA Collections". collections.lacma.org. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
16. ^ "The Right Place III, Gloria Kisch ^ Minneapolis Institute of Art". collections.artsmia.org. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
17. ^ a b Gibson, Michael (March 20, 1976). "Around the European Galleries". International Herald Tribune.
18. ^ "Series 5 | A Finding Aid to the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art records, 1973-1988". www.aaa.si.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
19. ^ a b Gloria Kisch: Fusion of Opposites. American Image Books. 2009. ISBN 978-1584181583.
20. ^ Barry, Ann (November 4, 1979). "Arts and Leisure Guide". The New York Times.
21. ^ Moran, Tom (September 19, 1979). "Gloria Kisch: Venice sculptor creates silent music from rock and steel". The Ocean Front Weekly.
22. ^ Hazlitt, Gordon (January 1980). "Venice California: Unique among the world's bohemias". ARTnews: 94–98.
23. ^ Frank, Peter (November 1974). "Review: Eugene Sturman, Gloria Kisch, Ludwig Redl; Cirrus Gallery". Artforum.
24. ^ Kisch, Gloria (February 1978). "Los Angeles: Gloria Kisch; Cirrus Gallery". Artforum.
25. ^ Kisch, Gloria (1990). Gloria Kisch exhibition catalog. New York: Art et Industrie.
26. ^ a b c Adamson, Glenn (2019-10-17). "Gloria Kisch: A Career at the Crossroads of Art and Design". Frieze. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
27. ^ Slivka, Rose C.S. (July 30, 1987). "From The Studio". The East Hampton Star.
28. ^ Slesin, Suzanne (1992-09-17). "Rocking Chairs to Complement the Atomic Fireplace Perfectly". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
29. ^ Raynor, Vivien (1988-02-21). "Art; at the Ben Shahn, Surrealism's Legacy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
30. ^ Rogers, Pat (June 7, 2007). "Artist's Work Blooms in Flanders". The Southampton Press.
31. ^ a b Martin, Hannah (2021-12-02). "Miami Art and Design Week 2021: Otherworldly Textile Works, a Return to Natural Materials, and More". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
32. ^ Fasolini, Elizabeth (January 2, 2008). "Everything Old Is New Again: Gloria Kisch Sculpts and solders found objects on an abandoned duck farm". The East Hampton Star.
33. ^ Kuchta, Ronald Andrew (2009). Gloria Kisch: Fusion of Opposites. American Image Books. ISBN 978-1584181583.
34. ^ Vered Gallery Presents Chilhuly & Kisch, 28 May 2007, retrieved 2019-10-04
35. ^ "A Hamptons Williamsburg? | The East Hampton Star". www.easthamptonstar.com. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
36. ^ Jacobson, Aileen (March 21, 2014). "Flowers, Yes, but Figures, Too, at 'Garden Party'". The New York Times. pp. Section LI page 10.
37. ^ Muchnic, Suzanne (October 23, 1978). "Sculpture at Civic Center Mall". The Los Angeles Times.
38. ^ King, Pamela J. (October 22, 1976). "Gallery roundup: Westside art finally takes a trip downtown". Los Angeles Herald Examiner.
39. ^ Muchnic, Suzanne (April 30, 1979). "A museum on a campus mall". The Los Angeles Times.
40. ^ "Art in the Parks Current Exhibitions : New York City Department of Parks & Recreation : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
41. ^ "Past Exhibits". www.samfa.org. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
42. ^ Wilson, Barbara (December 1975 – January 1976). "Gloria Kisch". Current Magazine.
43. ^ Kisch, Gloria (2019). Ephemera exhibition catalog for 'For Gloria. New York: dieFirma.
44. ^ Terbell Wortz, Melinda (Feb 9, 1974). "Wall Propinquities". Artweek. 5 (6).
45. ^ "La Mamelle". Summer 1975. Summer 1975.
46. ^ Raven, Arlene (October 1998). "Upright: The Height and Depth of Gloria Kisch". Sculpture. 17 (8): 22–25.
47. ^ "Gloria Kisch Obituary (originally in NY Times)". Legacy.com. 15 May 2014.
48. ^ "Gloria Kisch Exhibition". dieFirma. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
49. ^ "These Pioneering Female Artists and Designers Are More Relevant Than Ever". Architectural Digest. 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
50. ^ Kisch, Gloria (1990–2009), Metal Detector, retrieved 2023-12-18

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States

Artists|

* ULAN
* Museum of Modern Art