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Something Shimmers, Something is Hushed Up: Kate Manheim at CUE Art Foundation
By Nora Griffin
"To turn a sa,nt against a saint" -Kate Manheim as Rhoda 1n Strong Med1c1r>e
a, parl ofllw )01111g \rl <:rilic, \k111oro11g Progr.1111. a parl11t•r..,h1p bt•l\\t'('ll
Kate Manheim lives. works and dreams 1n a lair like Wooster
\I(:.\ l S,\ l S st·< 11011 of
Street loft that evokes the bygone era of "Downtown" New
I111t·r11a1io11al \,..,ocialion
York. Mar'he1rn 1s primarily known as a doyenne of avant
of \rt Cntic,) and C:l F \rt
garde theater and is perhaps best remembered as Rhoda.
Fo1111da1io11.
I\
hid1 pair,
1·11H'l}(i11g "ritl•r, I\ ith \IC\
a beloved changeling, equal parts muse and stand- n for playwright Richard Foreman. The couple collaborated 1n
nw111or-, 10 produr<' original
the Ontological-Hysteric Theater for sixteen years and
t•,,a�, cu1 a ,pt·l'ifir t•\liihiting
since leavll'g the theater 1n 1987 Manheim has pur5ued a
�11'1P,1. Plea..,t· \ 1,i1 ,, ,, ,, .aif,Hl"itl
second 1fe as a visual artist real1z•ng her v•s,on 1n painting.
org for fi1rlllf'r i11fon11atio11
collage. artist books and most recently trrough techniques
011 \IC.\ l S \. Pl,•ast·, isil
of d1g1tal manipulation and print ng Mant1e,m's exh1b1t or at
,, ,, ,, .rut·arlf(H1tulat1on.org
CUE. Art F-oundat on compr•ses all a"pe(ts ot her art-from
lo it'arn hm, to par1i<ipa11·
the gallows humor of her elegantly designed bOOKS to the
in tlu, progra111.
Totem Lok, and venereal disease collage series Kate Manhe1m·s first artworks were made when '>he was eight years old at the progressive art schoo1. AcaderP1e du Jeud1 in Pans Her fam1 y (father Ralph Marhe1m. a well-known translator of Berto1t Brecr,t younger sister Nora and poet mother Mary) had re-located from Sprirgs. East Hamptor to France in 1950 when Kate was five years 21
S"11wtl1i11g .S/1i11111w1·, S1JtJ1('t/1i11g is I /11.sllf'd I p: /\u1,• \lu11/wi111111 < 'I /•. \n /·,11111d<11i"11
old rn •1, c; day sh• s� JI rE::td1ns d v v1rJ mPrT ory of hE:r '""x•-door rw1groorc; r' ',prir',c;, Jae k• >I' Pc.,: ')Ck and " ..,, Kr..isner Wre- I v srtE'<J Mar't'C' rp rn her ,tud o ,t'e st'OW•d mp exarr pies 0' tt'e c · dhoe,,J pdrnt nq<, shc> rr Jde as a c,t Jdent dt the Ac,derY\1,-> ,r f.>ar ,. nt,IT'<1'e ,n 5•cJ1e ,nd created with goudc he ard p,i ,tel on pcJper and t vrlb,l,,rci, the p,rn1t 'CJS de<<.:r be d c,er ec; of youthful v s,on, F-rorn 1-,\ ,v ,t ·'ar,c.,ar' strf•e' <;Cclll� to c1 rro�...:IC-hke collc1ge of C "rist or''''£' cru,' all of •tie early pc11ri• ngc convE•y d rern irkal>le �true.t,..•e and enerqy The ear'y 1rf 1c•rKT 0• Var Cogt• MurcJ, ,nd C,eorqec, 1<ou,1ult p.i pc.Jb1e in the pa1rt1nq, v1br,1t1l'9 c e, or ,d·e• H?:. and tr <.>< out · e�. rh, yoL.ng tv'a 're:rP·c. l1ghtr,pc,c, of •,luc ti and 0v1der't absorpt1 >n n r,• ,10 .-, cin(J mytr cc.JI· .Jt'Jec t mat•c alc.o al1sins 11rr w1'" "out< :Jer · Moderr1c;t art '>l' su<.h d' Bob Triornp 011 i·' J �orrf-c.• [�ec,c, �he pa1·'t111g� revec a rP, q1u,1s ntens1•y t"a' ,, re-v1s1·cd vv th ,i rr 1ture p,1 ,,00 111d d ;, nl10E• later 1r her fp After nearly tw,, derade-, of c.elebrdTd vvork n tn0a•0r, 1r 1',pw Yvri< :�d i-lcir, Marre r� emo t·d a a <,tude11t •tr·ooper Jn,on 1r' -187 Her f1rc.• fc;r..iyc; r,te, 011.-,LJe lv;,m w tt' a•-i art st t;ook rr.JdC' dur rq 'ler t,rne ac,
c,• .jer,• ,tdtt·ln VI 1Vt1d tkon/
The f-<eal Th,nq rhE tlOOi< .Jxtapose<, c.l reprod ,c • .>P 0•
"011ardu cf, V1r,r ,·s fV/:,r>d<11,, w ti)
med ,JtlVl CJ..•orne>tr c q0uac he arrl p,,stel pc.1t'H1,s Hn·· p,l · ted Je51cm ,, ,.cill< A ,,,.cJ .,f'·' .(''
d·agrdrnmut � 11urnbr • c1rci ,,lphabE • pa · t1nq·,. A 1nyst1c >rClf' ,- at work tl1dt ..,
C OSe W'ti' 'l C' r Cjrd5P YE• eluck, clPY >t Vl(llJS r terpr!->l..illC>� Cr
l,r
derc ;c::· d1rc
Mcirr, ,� c, two c1rt1s• t ookc; >P J,,play at CU[ Th( ./Vdrrclennq IE w • j Tr,, Joy of Coe,k.1ng p, bl c;hed ,r tre dtP. 19�0'> by rer cwr Ir'' 1 ty
L
tc. or<'5S, art' f.Jr'hL''
c'xp,;.)rat ons ,)f t1e·r theme� 01 rrY't c sm. exile cino '01k art Not to be cor'ksed w,t,... that otrE::r loy of Cookmg boo� Mdnhe,rn·-, Th€' Joy of C.ook,nq 1s a pt,oto illustr:i•"'d . ,torv c' d haurt1nq <.r dhood memory ,11consp1c Jously pr nted 1n a c;choo, c0rnp:>s1t .:m b00k the story recount� her mother tell1nq rer to always mark rPr rel Q10f" c,s Jew sh c)n ()ff1c •..ii 'urms ">0 is •o bC' ·he f1rc;t t0 b0 cookNI n ..... , e,v• • -,. p,11 kc·J toqcther w1t1· the other �tw•, like s,i-d1rc " Tr,p storv f f"d<; w1tr y >unc kcite wa,• r,q f >r, '1/ ire t n-,, w'lPn '' c t00 will be c00ked n t11e ovenc. There , cir u11c,>mfort ,ole ten ,,c
tra• fc, >W',
tf-iC' ass "' i; or 0· terror 1P'o •tie arguag, 0• f,umor Al'Live al tre bc,oK• are c1bou' t � ,re nsforrP i• or u• trdu'Y" J ,n•o cl v ,ua1 mec: um ,.,.. mhe,rn', Ti.>ti:m LOktS are rr ,dPS that re•,1s• s1f"qular c d' f ca• on 0r de•1f" t 0"
fi'ey .•,2 "1e> St,11• 0• rnany oart,. 'Ext1 t-' r a'tr>r11s '>W ,tr r· c•� of recogr zciti·c ModPrr po1 'lt1rqs tMar ,J01 H ,•tl,··y , d fav0r tP 'our<t>> ard c.orrputPr 'JE'nf'rc1t0d vurtCX'' and d1stcrt1e>ns. ,.,.. .i1 he1m refers t0 them cl · pc.Jmt -rl'; .. but ''ley ae rnor,· l1k th£
qhoc.t v drec.'· c• 1 p,w,, 'lg Tre out 'lecl TotPm" 1rn.J(JE', f rst ,oner veCi 1n L004, cin ab·,tracted .inirnc• -like furr"' , bPs•owed by k:rard l="orPrnan w1tl' tre '1.ir· , 'L c �, ..., , t dpr ana gt" Jer st,1ft 'lg G0d from 1\Jorc;e n'v•"oloqy It 1s 1 fit• ng tc,•,-rr c rec1ture •,,r M, n�1eirr 22
since rad1c c11 dual1t1es have c1 Wdy5 played a s1gr11f1c.cir t role r her creat,vE' life r •re '98' film. Stronq Med1ure Mc1nhe1rn's Rhoda 1<, ,1 compel ng worn,m. equ..i: parte. hap1ec,5 vie t,m of terror and harp tc1lking w ,£acre'. Mr he,m de"c nbec Rhoda as 'half rT'Jr' h<.11• woman." a character who trarc,cends tr,1d,t onul (]ender ster(otype' fr,c comp0tN provides ar' enorrrou<, df'gree of separc1• on from the oric 11 of the pa1r•ted m3ge. allow ng free-rar•ge c>xpenmE'rUt1c.,r w1th,n a prec.cr becl ,,re, 1• 1c, J freedom that perr� tc, Manheim •o tip d1rrrt y 111to hE'r uricor• ,1ou<; m ,,cJ At C LJt. the To/Nn LOk1s are placed n close prox1m1ty to 0ne another c0vu riq two walls 0t the qallE'ry. The d1sp,av h1gt' gri•-; IV!anf-o>1rr 5 de •e fc r the vrewer t). 1der,;tc;rid trie m, q,, ·, p1ec• c c,t a ;arqer pull e 5trr•�·r1riq 111t0
,r,• r ty
There · ar1 ot,,, i .ve qualrty 1r the
,maba�h.:dly garisr rrnx of c0 ors a11d pa•tems. the only fvc.a pv,nt beir•g the v,,tlined 'Lo>< · sha:->e TherP 1s 110 "outside" to trie •m.ige every 5hape 1<.. dutifully f 111:d 1n w tr ,--ther d sol1cJ c.0lor or a µatterr The i:urvmg out me cuggE''>tS ci for•T' b.med m•o p1,'C<.> ...:d solid 0 tdbil1ty dl odd, w1•h t'le v1brdtrnq huec cind sw,r , of tt•t 1r1c.1de p,Jtterr' The dent cal extern.31 dec;1gr of eaci- Totem L ok1 corrb1ned wit,, a11 nf1111te var �ty of nter1or IT ot h, c pedk" to a cJe51re on the purl of Mc111he1rn to del11wate a 0n1ac1e c,p'-'<.:e •or •,er v s or �hrouqr the ordered chaos of the rrdge u r0r'ter"'plat1ve pr,vci•r l1qht •,h1n,c throv,t• 1• 1c. as f all the art h ·,tory. rPytr,olc;gy and p,i,,trnq of Mant•f•1rri s ,r jr nod co.i esced 11•to m1e orqar <;1T d Totem I ok,. which we·' <;lie ed open to rE'V\ c1I a puls1Pq re>twork c.,• f0rrr ,. Munhe1m·s avE o• dual1t1es. the $de.red and trP prc>far ,, 1s 1r ost Ju :Jc1c -:iu, y displayed 1r' her vererPal d sease collage series. Credted 1n the cite 1990, the VO pr nt� are realized througr the sarrie computer co, age tecrr,.que as •he Toten, Loki< The re11grous 1T agery, Gerrnar and ltal,ar Re11u1ssance pa nt1ngs culled from Manhe1m·c; 1m0qe ibrary. are stand-in$ for the mystery of religion Just dS m,JC h as the terder 1llu<,trat1on, of venereal- r fedecJ genrtal, Vrrq1r1 Mdry, B.iby Jesus, saint<; ,r(i cr('rubc. surrou1•d pearly pink f e,h. r pp1ed and encruc,•ed w•th e•,,c.,r, thP <;yn'p•orrs of progre·, ,,ng rnfect1or1. The mytr con·ext of relig on. SL cr c1s the v rq1r' b •th 5, JXt PO'><'d w,th the €qually rry•h1cd pl1e=1omenor of sexc' ty and death The source for •>ie anatvrnlC'al rrc1ge•, 1c, a 10th r:f>l"t iry medical textboc.,k o• venereal dist>ases, pur<..riased by Manheim from a � a, 1s bovk<hop 1r> '386. f11e strc11ghtforward. e><qu1s1te qer>t enes� of the lllustr,'tror 1< .._t odds N1th our cor•te,pporary idea of horror and ug 111ess th.. t <1ccompanres df'forr>" rHJ d 'fd5es. M,11" t"Je,m locate� an ,m1ntent1oral beauty 1n the mage of d 5ea ;e and 'T 1Kes t rer vwn by putt ng 1t through her computer-collaqe pattern wstem H1E' re5uJ•1nq collugr., tr,mscend the grossly ob ,cene or the pure1y medical to reach a state of ·,0rreal qrcicc 11 ,ome of tr· e image" tre muta•1'1q pa•tern appearc; as ,1r 1nfect1nci presence of
a c,( ac.e
absolvwg barr ers between med1cc1I llustrat ,in anrl painted figures Th(' VD c.)llag•·�
c'·w11wt/1111g .',/1i11111H•1·s. So111e1/,i11:,: is //us/wd Ip: /\cil<' \lw1/wi111 C/1 (./ F \rt l·i11111dutw11
reveal the artist"<; fascination with the uncan1•y. the rnetaphys Cell eiemert r1dder w1th1n trc wh1rrs,cally grotesque Arc mboldo. the 16tr century ltal1ar artist who er'1gmat1cally pa1rted human heads corrposed of fruit and vegetab1e bouquets. share'> a s m 1r 1nteres• Manre,rr has Pxp1a,ned that she could see the VO prints exr b1tcd 1r a churcr,, bel1ev1ng that tt1e resona11t mystery would outwe1gr a charge of obscen ty Manhe.lT' s �elf-portrait protograpns are the one exp,1c1• reference to a fe in theater fhe portra ts are like masks. each desc nb1ng an extreme state of r£ r y. Str k ,,g a chord between Jubilanc:e-absurd1ty ard nd1ant hysteria. they depict Manhe,rn made-up 1n white foc:e Manre1rr wit" a rrystenous black coated torgue. Manheim serv•r 'J JS a -:.ool gaze. The portra:t<; are exters1on,; of her .id ng persona. ,1 w0rnan wro � 1p� between extreme emotions. 3bsurd rumor. v10,erce. and a longing for connection. The photographs bear s1m1lar ty to the Untitled Ftlm St,lls ser es of Cindy Sherman -posps 1n wt I r tre artist adopts a variety ot ferT nine roles. �1owever 1n Mdnhe,rn's pho•ographs •here�., 3 persona, 1r>ter's1ty that trJmps theatr ca detJchmert Headshotbnghtbluf',ky. sr'ow<, a str k1rg Mi'lnhe1rn. sport1rg ar elegant c01ffure and shoulder pad,;, set aga1n�t a serrn -1rbdn backdrop The 1..crn pos,t1on of a head ond sroulders portrait aga,nst a r rt of industry and landscape recalls the Ren,11ssanc e port rd t,Jre of nob1ewomen anrJ rT er Ir> Mouth Garg/mg Water Bubble. Mc1nhe1m's eyes are wide c,pen and her head 1s tilted. in her rroutr 1s c1 c:rys•al-like bubb1e of water The protc,grapr reveals a Cf' trcJI viot1f 1n Kote Manhe1m's art. cl mysterious E'xcrcinge between the artist ond her ,- ner p<,yche a1ways hovering on the prec p1ce of revelat1or> Nora Gnffin. Brooklyn. NY October 2008 All quotes are from mterv1ews w,th the author unless otherwise specified No part of this essay may be reproduced without pnor cor,sert from the author
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Image List
IG.
9. "/iwls • I 7 '(/ cl \pril 2001 \rrhi,al digi1al pri111 21", 21' Edi1io11 of"3
fote111 II 17 \ d Ortoh<"r 200'1 •\rdii\iil digital print 21", 21" Edit1011 on
10. fote111 l.ok1 29 \ " cl \l,l\ 200'1 \rrhi,al digi1al pn111 21", 21" Ed111011 on
11···
17. fotem Lok, ·369 \ " d 1(2) Juh 2001 \rrhi,al (ligi1al print 21", 21" Editio11 of '.l
II. fote111 tlw 211cl I 1, J11h 200G \nhi,al <1igi1al pn111 21", 21" l-:<li11011 of"3
18. \/}'th 15 \ /· \lar,h 2005 \rdii,al digital pri11t 21", 21" Editio11 of"3
12. \ /) 5-1 I \ /1 J: Jun,· 200h \rdll\al dig11al pnnl 2T', 23" l•:di1io11 0U
19. l>rnwi11g BT/). 1'195 �1i,r. pai11t. n1arh(01, and collag<' 011 papN 10 ',", (i ',"
13.
20. forr•111 /.oki •3 \ '<1 .\ew ,\ l> ...(3). \la1 200'1 \rchival digital pri11t 21", 21" Ed1t1011 of3
Drnwi11g 3TD. I\)95 Colon·d 111arht'r, 011 papt'r 9 '.,", 5 ,,," 11. Drnw111g �T/J. F<·hrnan 11)!)5 Colon·d 111arl..< 01, 011 pap,·r 9 ',,", G"
l'i. /ill(•111 J\ 1 \ tJ •2 \ Ortoh<"r 20(J.1 \rd1i,al digi1al pri11t 21", 21" Editio11 of1
(I
CUE
ART FOUNDATION
CUE Art Foundation 511 West 25th Street New York, NY 10001 212-206-3583 f 212-206-0321 cueartfoundation.org
Cover Headshotbnghtbluesky. 1978. Self-portra.t Co1or photograph D1mens1ons variable All artwork le Kate Manheim ISBN-13· 978·0-9819110-1-4 Catalog design: el1zabeth ell1s Printed by mar+x myles inc using 100% wind-generated power
SPECIAL THANKS TO
El/..u /\rnJf!Ws/..o w1</ Hiclwrd Vore111w1
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