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Eva Hesse

Eva Hesse was born into a Jewish family in Hamburg, Germany in 1936.
This was during the Nazi era in Germany, so the family fled separately in
1938, finally reuniting in New York City in 1939. In 1944, Hesses family split
apart when the parents divorced. Her father remarried in 1945, leading to
her Mothers suicide in 1946. These dramatic events in her early life would
have a profound impact on the development of her art and style. Hesse
graduated from the School of Industrial Arts in New York in 1952. She
continued perfecting her craft over the next decade at several other schools
in different parts of the United States, culminating with a BFA from Yale
School of Art and Architecture under Josef Albers, a highly influential artist
and teacher in 1958. Hesse then returned to New York and became a part of
the artist community where in 1961, she met sculpture Tom Doyle and
married him (Eva Hesse).
Hesses works are quite varied in size and shape, however they all tend
to carry a theme of plainness. There are two aspects to this: the colors and
the shapes. Almost all of the pieces colors are dull in nature. The colors
range from opaque whites to washed-out browns, and indicate an absence of
brightness and life. The work seems to indicate a lack of happiness or joy,
and in addition to the lack of color, Hesse uses mainly basic shapes. There
are no sharps edges or exciting patterns used. The pieces all follow a simple
feel to them and everything appears to intentionally lack pop. I feel the
combination of these two aspects expresses a deep and dark sense of pain
and the mundane.

There are three of Hesses works that were of particular interest to me


and capture her overall themes well. Each uses a different medium and size
of space that draw the observer into its realm. The first piece has no title. It
looks like the top of a flower made out of paper.

The first piece No

Title from 1969 seems to show the rawness of Hesses approach to art and
uses a flat color palate of dulled whites and smooth edges. Hesse used
cheesecloth with adhesive for hardening and molding. I feel the soft
creasing and loosely crumpled appearance of No Title displays the themes
of the harshness of life and the dullness of pain. This piece appears to
represent a need for protection from the world through the usage of space,
as it occupies a cubic space of 17 1/4 x 11 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches. This use of a
tight, confined space compared to her other work makes a statement about
the veil of protection needed from reality.
The second piece of Hesses work that I would like to discuss is Aught
from 1968. Hesse used latex, canvas, polyethylene sheeting, rope and some
unidentified materials to create the piece. The work is a set of four hanging
canvas-covered pieces. This work is done in a brownish tint that contrasts to
the first piece. Aught also is much larger in scale, as it covers a wider area,
and is flatter from a dimensional standpoint. The piece has a flow that
represents a more open feel to the work. Additionally, the use of four similar,
but unique panels shows how objects can be different but the experience can
be the same through the use of this imagery.

The third Hesse piece discussed is also untitled from 1970 and it
branches out into a three dimensional, large space. This work is made from
latex, rope, string, and wire. The work is reminiscent of a cargo net, though
with a much more randomness about its structure. Hesses imagery changes
dramatically to a much more complex, almost overbearing imposition on the
audience and much like the web-like appearance of the piece gives a feeling
of entrapment. Hesse succeeds here in presenting a sculpture that is both
overarching and open, yet has the feeling of constriction for a viewer. With
this sculpture, she has a piece that branches out broadly, but held within
each branch is a tighter bundle that I feel represents a distinct allusion to the
pain in life. The other interesting fact about this piece is that she intended
for it to change its appearance each time it is displayed at a different
location due to the materials that Hesse used (Sussman).
Hesses works are very important and influential in the art world. She
was one of the first female artists to push for acceptance in the traditionally
male art world in the 50s and 60s through her exposure and recognition in
the artistic community in New York City. During her short life, she produced
many pieces that exposed the world to her unique viewpoint of a world that
is difficult and tough, and it makes for an emotional chaos one must
endure (Eva Hesse). Hesses own attitude toward her work shows some of
her inner thoughts and motivations. In her book on Eva Hesse, Lucy Lippard
has a quote from Hesse. Hesse was asked about some of her work falling

apart, and Hesse notes so what. I went further in the work that followed. I
take more care technically, I plan and figure out more wisely (Lippard 73).
So the progression in her work also had a technical component to where she
recognized methods that were not good from a longevity standpoint and
corrected to ensure her future works would sustain the test of time better.
Hesses work progression can also be seen in her naming of works.
She went from using jazzy titles such as Oomamaboomba and Eighter
from Decatur to more objective names such as Schema and Accession
(Spector). So just as with the art, we can see Hesses progression as an
artist in this way as well. The evolving aspect of the looks and titles provide
an interest way to analyze her work over time and see the growth Hesse
displayed. Unfortunately, Hesse died at the early age of 34. There is
speculation that this is related to the materials she used in some of her
piecesand the locations she worked in that were built using hazardous
materials. Additionally, she didnt take any precautionary measures against
these dangerous materials she exposed herself to such as fiberglass and
lead. Each of Hesses works maintains a touch of her sullen and darker
sense of the world. There were many instances in her life, such as her
parents divorce, her mothers suicide bad relationships, and escaping
Nazism, contribute to her view of life. It is apparent in her works, and is
captured beautifully for all to see for generations to come for some of her

pieces. Other works Hesse created may not survive due to the methods and
materials she used to created them.

Works Cited
"Eva Hesse." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 2
Feb. 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
Lippard, Lucy R. Eva Hesse. New York NY: New York University Press. 1976.
Print.
Spector, Naomi. Eva Hesse: Language and What Remains. The Brooklyn
Rail. New York

NY. July-August 2006.

Sussman, Elisabeth. Eva Hesse. Online video clip. The San Francisco
Museum of Modern

Art (SFMOMA). The San Francisco Museum of Modern

Art (SFMOMA). 1 Jan 2002.

Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

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