Louise Lawler
Artist Factorywas born in Bronxville, New York State, USA, in 1947
Louise Lawler is an American artist. She is known for her photographs of works by other artists, and she always pays particular attention to the spaces in which the works are displayed, and to the history of the artworks.
Louise Lawler highlights aspects of art that people do not normally notice. She shows how the meaning of a work is influenced and shaped by many factors that point beyond the boundaries of the picture frame.
"A WORK OF ART IS PRODUCED BY MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. IT ISN’T JUST THE WORK OF AN UNENCUMBERED CREATIVE ACT. [...] ART IS ALWAYS A COLLABORATION WITH WHAT CAME BEFORE YOU AND WHAT COMES AFTER YOU. [...] NO WORK IS REALLY PRODUCED BY ONE PERSON."
Louise Lawler
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TALK ABOUT IT
How is art presented, stored and consumed?
look closely
To what extent does the space influence the effect of an artwork?
Louise grew up in a suburb of Hartford in Connecticut and attended the prestigious Cornell University. After graduating she moved to New York, where she soon took a job in the Castelli Gallery, where many famous artists show their work.
Whenever Louise is asked for a photo of herself, she suggests one of her own shots, showing a parrot. This photo was originally intended as a record cover for her sound piece “Birdcalls” (1972/81), in which Louise chirped the names of 28 male artists. The fact that she calls the parrot picture “Portrait” (1982) and submits it instead of a photo of herself demonstrates her critical stance on the cult of personality and male domination of the art market.
Discuss
Where does the interest in learning about artists and their private lives, or knowing their appearance, come from?
