Mary Frank has taken a distinctive route in the art world, diverging from the path of many of her male contemporaries in the latter half of the 20th century, who favored industrial fabrication over handcrafted artistry. Now in her early 90s, Frank has spent decades creating works inspired by mythology and her experiences in dance with Martha Graham. Despite her significant contributions, recognition from major New York museums has eluded her, often due to prevailing biases against her unique aesthetic. Until perceptions shift, exhibitions like Mary Frank at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects serve as vital platforms for her work.
This exhibition, curated by Harvey, showcases Frank's sculptures crafted between 1958 and 1985, featuring 11 pieces made from wood, bronze, and ceramic. The collection includes both small, palm-sized sculptures and a striking large ceramic head viewed in profile. Additionally, five works on paper are displayed, three of which are intricately designed in black ink. Notably, the other two pieces are a monotype titled "Lovers" (circa 1980) and an oil-on-paper piece named "Chasm" (1990), depicting a landscape where a vibrant yellow sky illuminates the narrow gap between two mountains.
Frank's early work, "Winged Woman" (1958), a sculptural piece carved from a single section of a telephone pole, reveals her fascination with the mythic. The figure, poised on one leg with the other leg raised, embodies a woman of agency--a theme that recurs throughout her oeuvre. Unlike traditional depictions of goddesses, Frank's women are not driven by jealousy or power; instead, they are resilient beings who retain their capacity for love and compassion.
In her ceramic pieces, Frank skillfully transitions from incising delicate lines on pliable surfaces to shaping them into evocative forms. Works like "Entrance" (1975) and "Embracing Couple" (circa 1980), both under 14 inches in height, showcase her ability to carve thin, free-standing, earth-toned slabs that evoke a harmonious blend of simplicity and strength. These figures, predominantly female, inhabit a space that feels like a bridge between Eden and a Renaissance ideal, where emotions such as sorrow and lament linger in the atmosphere.
In "Dawn" (1975), Frank employs a slender clay slab to sculpt a woman's head, subtly tilted in profile and resting on a wooden base. From one perspective, she appears to be dreaming with closed eyes, while the other side reveals a hollow surface adorned with incisions, suggesting multiple layers of identity. This interplay invites viewers to ponder the depths of self and possibility within Frank's elemental world.
The exhibition Mary Frank continues at Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects (208 Forsyth Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan) until May 22, organized in collaboration with DC Moore Gallery.