Louise Fishman

Louise Fishman created abstract paintings imbued with feminist, gay, and Jewish iconography. She was active in the feminist movement of the late 1960s and early 70s. During this time, she temporarily abandoned painting for sculptural and material investigations that pursued a more distinctly feminine art. Fishman’s return to painting was anticipated by her seminal 1973 Angry Women series, which represented important figures in the feminist movement. Her subsequent embrace of gestural abstraction unapologetically confronted the male-dominated history of artistic discourse. At a time when postmodernism claimed painting to be “dead,” Fishman’s decisive re-appropriation of Abstract Expressionism repositioned it for a different era and gender. In addition to her support for feminism, Fishman also advocated for gay and lesbian rights.

Fishman’s work celebrates process. In monumental, energetic surfaces of densely layered color and texture, her paintings exemplify a driven exploration of materials and mark-making. Using scrapers and trowels, along with more traditional paintbrushes, Fishman constructed loosely-gridded compositions by adding, scraping away and re-applying paint, sometimes working and reworking canvases over a long period of time. Remarkable not only for their technical mastery, her abstractions are also emotionally evocative

Born in Philadelphia in 1939, Louise Fishman lived and worked in New York City for over five decades before her death in 2021. Widely exhibited for the past 50 years, Louise Fishman’s work is represented in many collections, including: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia; and the Jewish Museum, New York, among others. Awards include three National Endowment for the Arts grants, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship, among others. She has also participated in several artists’ residencies, most recently at the Emily Harvey Foundation in Venice, Italy.

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "Victory Garden of the Amazon Queen." This artwork was created in 1972 and measures framed: 21 ¹⁄₄" x 63 ³⁄₄" x 2" [HxWxD] (53.98 x 161.93 x 5.08 cm)14" x 13" [HxW] (35.56 x 33.02 cm) each. Its medium is Acrylic on linen, in four parts. — **Louise Fishman**
“Victory Garden of the Amazon Queen,” 1972
Acrylic on linen, in four parts
framed: 21 ¹⁄₄" x 63 ³⁄₄" x 2" [HxWxD] (53.98 x 161.93 x 5.08 cm)
14" x 13" [HxW] (35.56 x 33.02 cm) each
Inventory #FIS185
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "STILL BURNING." This artwork was created in 2020 and measures 40" x 30" [HxW] (101.6 x 76.2 cm). Its medium is Oil on linen. — **Louise Fishman**
“STILL BURNING,” 2020
Oil on linen
40" x 30" [HxW] (101.6 x 76.2 cm)
Inventory #FIS177
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff McLane

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "SUBLUNARY." This artwork was created in 2020 and measures 40" x 40" [HxW] (101.6 x 101.6 cm). Its medium is Oil on linen. — **Louise Fishman**
“SUBLUNARY,” 2020
Oil on linen
40" x 40" [HxW] (101.6 x 101.6 cm)
Inventory #FIS182
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Jeff Mclane

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "NEIGHBOR ROSICKY." This artwork was created in 1978 and measures 48" x 41" [HxW] (121.92 x 104.14 cm). Its medium is Oil on linen. — **Louise Fishman**
“NEIGHBOR ROSICKY,” 1978
Oil on linen
48" x 41" [HxW] (121.92 x 104.14 cm)
Inventory #FIS168
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Adam Reich

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "UNTITLED." This artwork was created in 2014 and measures 2" x 2" [HxW] (5.08 x 5.08 cm). Its medium is Oil on canvas. — **Louise Fishman**
“UNTITLED,” 2014
Oil on canvas
2" x 2" [HxW] (5.08 x 5.08 cm)
Inventory #FIS152
Signed and dated on verso
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Genevieve Hanson

This image depicts an artwork by Louise Fishman titled "UNTITLED." This artwork was created in 2011 and measures 3" x 2" [HxW] (7.62 x 5.08 cm). Its medium is Oil on board. — **Louise Fishman**
“UNTITLED,” 2011
Oil on board
3" x 2" [HxW] (7.62 x 5.08 cm)
Inventory #FIS131
Signed and dated on verso
Courtesy of the artist, the Louise Fishman Estate, and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Genevieve Hanson

Louise Fishman “GRACE IN HILLS AND GARDENS,” 2018 — **Louise Fishman**
“GRACE IN HILLS AND GARDENS,” 2018
Oil on linen
66 x 55" [HxW] (167.64 x 139.7 cm)
Inventory #FIS106
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

Louise Fishman “LIKE AIR I’LL RISE,” 2018 Oil on linen 74 x 86" [HxW] (187.96 x 218.44 cm) Inventory #FIS116 Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer — **Louise Fishman**
“LIKE AIR I’LL RISE,” 2018
Oil on linen
74 x 86" [HxW] (187.96 x 218.44 cm)
Inventory #FIS116
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

Louise Fishman “MIXED WEATHER,” 2019 — **Louise Fishman**
“MIXED WEATHER,” 2019
Oil on linen
57 x 70" [HxW] (144.78 x 177.8 cm)
Inventory #FIS121
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

Louise Fishman “TRAUERODE FOR TOM,” 2019 — **Louise Fishman**
“TRAUERODE FOR TOM,” 2019
Oil on linen
40 x 30" [HxW] (101.6 x 76.2 cm)
Inventory #FIS123
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

Louise Fishman “PASSACAGLIA,” 2019 — **Louise Fishman**
“PASSACAGLIA,” 2019
Oil on linen
40 x 30" [HxW] (101.6 x 76.2 cm)
Inventory #FIS124
Courtesy of the artist and Vielmetter Los Angeles
Photo credit: Robert Wedemeyer

This image illustrates a link to the exhibition titled Louise Fishman<br><i>A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing</i>

Louise Fishman
A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing

August 26, 2021 — February 26, 2022

Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

20 Years Anniversary Exhibition Part 2

June 26 — August 7, 2021

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Gallery I & II

Louise Fishman: We’ll Meet Again

March 27 — May 15, 2021

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Gallery III

Louise Fishman: An Hour is a Sea

April 18 — May 8, 2020

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Online Only

Louise Fishman: The Tumult in the Heart

September 20 — November 2, 2019

Vielmetter Los Angeles, Gallery I

Paper Louise Tiny Fishman Rock

April 29 — August 14, 2016

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania

: Born: January 14, 1939, Philadelphia, PA
: Died: July 26, 2021, New York, NY

1956-1957: Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia, PA
1958: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1963: B.F.A. and B.S., Tyler School of Fine Arts, Elkins, PA
1965: M.F.A., University of Illinois, Champaign, IL

Selected Exhibitions

2023: "Dear Louise: A Tribute To Louise Fishman (1939 - 2021)," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2022: "1960s: Darkness and Light," Karma Karma Gallery, New York, NY
2021-2022: "A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing," Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
2021: "We'll Meet Again," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
: "Ballin’ the Jack," Karma, New York, NY
2020: "An Hour is A Sea," Vielmetter Los Angeles, online
2019: "The Tumult of the Heart," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
: Frieze New York–Booth S29, Randall’s Island, New York, NY
: "Louise Fishman: Cut Pieced Painted Stapled, Sculptural Paintings from the ‘70S," Frameless Gallery, London, UK
2017: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2016: "Paper Louise Tiny Fishman Rock," curated by Ingrid Schaffner, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
: "Louise Fishman: A Retrospective," curated by Helaine Posner, Neuberger Museum, Purchase College, State University of New York at Purchase (3/27–7/31/2016); traveled to Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC
2015: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2014: "Louise Fishman – Venice Watercolours 2011–2013," Frameless Gallery & Gallery Nosco, London, UK
2013: "Louise Fishman: It’s Here – Elsewhere," Goya Contemporary, Baltimore, MD
2012: "Louise Fishman: Five Decades," curated by Simon Watson, Jack Tilton Gallery, New York, NY
: "Louise Fishman: Paintings, Drawings & Prints," John Davis Gallery, Hudson, New York, NY
: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2010: "Louise Fishman," Gallery Paule Anglim, San Francisco, CA
2009: "Louise Fishman: Among the Old Masters," John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2008: "Louise Fishman: Between Geometry and Gesture," Galerie Kienzle & Gmeiner, Berlin, Germany
2007: "Louise Fishman, The Tenacity of Painting: Paintings from 1970 to 2005," Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
2006: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2005: "Louise Fishman," Foster-Gwin, San Francisco, CA
2004: "Louise Fishman, Recent Work," Manny Silverman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
: "New York Abstract Painters George McNeil / Louise Fishman / 2004," Foster-Gwin, San Francisco, CA
2003: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2002: "Louise Fishman," Manny Silverman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001: "Louise Fishman," Paule Anglim Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2000: "Louise Fishman," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
1999: "Louise Fishman," Paule Anglim Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1998: "Louise Fishman: Paintings & Drawings," Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, IL
: "Louise Fishman: Recent Paintings and Drawings," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
1996: "Louise Fishman: Recent Paintings," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
1995: "Small Paintings," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
1994: "Small Paintings, 1992–1994," Bianca Lanza Gallery, Miami, FL
1993: "Louise Fishman," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
1992: "Louise Fishman: Paintings, 1986–1992," Morris Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
: "Drawings and Experimental Work, 1971–1992," Tyler Gallery, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
: "Louise Fishman: Small Paintings," Olin Art Gallery, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
: "Louise Fishman: Small Paintings, 1979–1992," Temple Gallery, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
: "Louise Fishman: Small Paintings, 1978–1992," Simon Watson, New York, NY preview of exhibition held at Temple Gallery, Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
1991: "Louise Fishman: New Paintings," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
1989: "Remembrance and Renewal," Simon Watson Gallery, New York, NY
: "Louise Fishman: New Paintings 1987–1989," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
1987: "Louise Fishman and Andy Spence: Two from the Corcoran," Winston Gallery, Washington, D.C
1986: "Louise Fishman: New Paintings," Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York, NY
1985: "Fishman/Sanderson," North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC
1984: "Louise Fishman," Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York, NY
1982: "Louise Fishman: Recent Work," Oscarsson-Hood Gallery, New York, NY
: "Louise Fishman," John Davis Gallery, Akron, OH
1980: "Louise Fishman: Small Paintings, The MacDowell Colony, 7/1980," Oscarsson-Hood Gallery, New York, NY
1979: "Louise Fishman," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
1976: "Louise Fishman," John Doyle Gallery, Chicago, IL
1978: "Louise Fishman," Diplomat’s Lobby, United States Department of State, Washington, D.C.
1976: "Louise Fishman," University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
1974: "Louise Fishman," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
1972: "Louise Fishman," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
1964: "Louise Fishman," Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

Group Exhibitions

2023: "Women and Abstraction: 1741–Now," Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA (Link)
2022: "The Fiction of Property I: Louise Fishman, Gerald Jackson, Harriet Korman, Jonathan Lasker, David Reed, Gary Stephan, Michael Venezia, Jack Whitten," Curated by Bertold Mathes, Kienzle Art Foundation, Berlin, Germany
2021: "Kick Ass Painting: New York Women,” Curated by Patricia Hamilton, Anat Egbi, Los Angeles, CA
2019: "Artists I Steal From," co-curated by Julia Peyton-Jones and Álvaro Barrington, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, London, UK
: "Just Painting," curated by Ezra Tessler, Jack Barrett Gallery, New York, NY
: "Small Paintings," Corbett vs. Dempsey Gallery, Chicago, IL
: "Art After Stonewall, 1969-1989," Grey Art Gallery and Leslie-Lohman Museum, New York, NY
: "Artists I Steal From," co-curated by Julia Peyton-Jones and Álvaro Barrington, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, London, UK
: “Queer Abstraction,” Des Moines Art Center, Iowa
: "Just Painting," curated by Ezra Tessler, Jack Barrett Gallery, New York, NY
: "Art After Stonewall, 1969–1989," curated by Jonathan Weinberg with Tyler Cann and Drew Sawyer, Leslie-Lohman Museum, New York NY; will travel to Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, FIU, Miami FL, and Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH
2018: "Mark," Team (gallery, inc.), New York, NY
: "Known: Unknown," curated by Graham Nickson and Rachel Rickert, New York Studio School, New York, NY
: "White Anxieties," curated by Raul Zamudio and Juan Puntes with Peter Wayne Lewis, White Box, New York, NY
: "Surface Work," Victoria Miro Gallery I and II, London, UK
: "Carry the Bend," Brennan & Griffin, New York, NY
: "The Humble Black Line," Frameless Gallery, London, UK
2017: "Weber Fine Art in Black and White," Weber Fine Art of Greenwich,mGreenwich, CT
: "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day: Collections of Claude Simard," curated by Ian Berry, Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, NY
: "Blue Black," curated by Glenn Ligon, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis, MI
: "Citings/Sightings," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "Art in Balance: Motorcycles and Fine Art," Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA
: "Women Painting," organized by Girls’ Club and curated by Michele Weinberg and Michelle Rupert, Martin and Pat Fine Art Center for the Arts, Miami-Dade College, Kendall, FL
: "Shonky: The Aesthetics of Awkwardness," organized by Hayward Touring, Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast, UK; traveled to Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee, UK, Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Centre, Bury, UK
2016: "#Pussypower," curated by Jennifer Samet and Michael David, David & Schweitzer Contemporary, Brooklyn, New York, NY
: "Nice Weather," curated by David Salle, Skarstedt Gallery, New York, NY
: "Golem," Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany
: "Leporelli Veneziani," curated by Berty Skuber, Emily Harvey Foundation, EHF Gallery, Venezia, Italy
: "Your Face in the Mirror Isn’t Your Face, Similar to Plastic Silverware," curated by Torey Thornton, Moran Bondaroff, Los Angeles, CA
: "#makeamericagreatagain," curated by Raul Zamudio and Juan Puntes, co-curated by Blanca de la Torre, WhiteBox, New York, NY
2015: "Painting 2:0: Expression in the Information Age," Museum Brandhorst, Germany; traveled to the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung
: "A Few Days," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "Art AIDS America," Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, WA; traveled to Zuckerman Museum of Art,
: "Perfect Present: Three Generations of Painting, Louise Fishman, Rosanna Bruno, Odessa Straub," Jeffrey Stark, New York, NY
: "Intimacy in Discourse: Reasonable and Unreasonable Sized Paintings," curated by Phong Bui, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
: Ludwig Wien (MUMOK), Vienna, Austria (6/4–11/6/2016)
: Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA (2/19–5/21/2016); Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, NY (6/23–9/11/2016); Alphawood Foundation, Chicago, IL (12/1/2016–4/2/2017)
2014: "De-Pict," Frameless Gallery & Gallery Nosco, London, UK
: Whitney Museum of American Art 2014 Biennial Exhibition, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
: "In Residence: Contemporary Artists at Dartmouth," Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
: "Making Art Dance: Artists Donate Work to Benefit Armitage Gone!," Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ
2013: "Reinventing Abstraction: New York Painting in the 1980s," curated by Raphael Rubinstein, Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2012: "PAPYRI: Guestbooks, Bookworks and Similar Departures by Guests of Emily Harvey Foundation 2004–2012," Emily Harvey Foundation, Venice, Italy
: "Generations: Louise Fishman, Gertrude Fisher-Fishman, and Razel Kapustin," Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2011: "READYKELOUS/The Hurtful Healer: The Correspondence Issue," Invisible-Exports, New York, NY
: "The Women in Our Life: A Fifteen-Year Anniversary Exhibition," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
: "Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories," Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA; traveled to National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. (10/14/2011–1/22/2012)
: Abstractions, Albert Merola Gallery, Provincetown, MA
: New York, NY (4/17–7/14/2012); Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, NY (7/14–12/30/2012)
: "Dance/Draw," Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA; traveled to Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York, NY
: "To the Venetians," Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2010: "LES FEMMES," McClain Gallery, Houston, TX
: "Abstraction Revisited," Chelsea Art Museum, New York, NY
: "Le Tableau: French Abstraction and its Affinities," curated by Joe Fyfe, Cheim & Read, New York, NY
: "Painting & Sculpture: To Benefit the Foundation for Contemporary Arts," Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, NY
: "Shifting the Gaze: Painting and Feminism," The Jewish Museum, New York, NY
2009: "The Ringling International Arts Festival," John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
: "Propose: Works on Paper from the 1970s," Alexander Gray Associates, New York, NY
: "Les Femmes," McClain Gallery, Houston, TX
: "Before Again: Joan Mitchell, Louise Fishman, Harriet Korman, Melissa Meyer, Jill Moser, Denyse Thomasos," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "Abstractions by Gallery Artists," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2008: "Environments and Empires," Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
: "Pretty Ugly," curated by Alison Gingeras, Maccarone Gallery and Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York, NY
: "Significant Form: The Persistence of Abstraction," Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia
: "MassArt at the Fine Arts Work Center: Faculty and Visiting Artists," Hudson D. Walker Gallery Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
2007: "American Abstract," Maruani & Noirhomme Gallery, Knokke, Belgium
: "The Fluid Fields: Abstraction and Reference," Tyler Galleries, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
: "WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution," Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA; traveled to National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. (September 2007–December 2007); MoMA PS 1, Long Island City, New York (2/17–5/12/2008); Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada (10/4/2008–1/18/2009)
: "New Short Distance to Now Part #2: Paintings from New York 1967–1975," Galerie Thomas Flor, Düsseldorf, Germany
2006: "High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting 1965–75," curated by Katy Siegal, Independent Curators International, Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (8/6–10/15/2006); American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Washington, D.C. (11/21/2006–1/21/2007); National Academy Museum, New York (2/15–4/22/2007); Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico (5/25–9/9/2007); Neue Galerie Graz, Graz, Austria (12/14/2007–2/24/2008); ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany (3/28–6/1/2008)
: "The New Landscape / The New Still Life: Soutine and Modern Art," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
: "The Name of this Show Is Not Gay Art Now," Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, NY
2005: "Looking at Words: The Formal Presence of Text in Modern and Contemporary Works on Paper," Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY
: "PAINT," Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
: "Contemporary Women Artists: New York," University Art Gallery, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
2004: "Drawing Exhibition," Galerie S 65 Cologne, Germany
: "Twelve from Cheim & Read," Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
: Summer Invitational, Nielsen Gallery, Boston, MA
2003: "The Invisible Thread: Buddhist Spirit in Contemporary Art," Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, New York, NY
: Women's Lines, G Fine Art, Washington, D.C.
: "Grisaille," James Graham & Sons, New York, NY
2002: "Nature Found and Made," Chambers Fine Art, New York, NY
: "177th Annual Exhibition," National Academy of Design, New York, N Y
: "Zenroxy," Von Lintel Gallery, New York, NY
: "Personal and Political: The Women’s Art Movement, 1969–1975," Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, New York, NY
: "Nocturne/Nocturnal," Skoto Gallery, New York, NY
: "Painting A Passionate Response, Sixteen American Artists," The Painting Center, New York, NY
: "Art Downtown: New York Painting and Sculpture," Wall Street Rising, 48 Wall Street, New York, NY
2001: "Seven Female Visionaries Before Feminism," Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA
: Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, AL (11/3/2002–4/15/2003)
: "Imaging Judaism / Mining History, Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA
: "Four Painters," Lindsey Brown, New York, NY
: Youngstown, Ohio (3/10–4/28/2002); Nina Freundenheim, Inc., Buffalo, New York (5/11–7/15/2002); Ben Shahn Gallery for Visual Arts, William Patterson University, Wayne, NJ (9/6–10/11/2002);
: "Invitational Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture," American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
: "Watercolor: In the Abstract," curated by Pamela Auchincloss, The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, New York; traveled to Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center Gallery, State University of New York at Fredonia (1/18–2/22/2002); Butler Institute of American Art,
: "Opening Exhibition," Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, New York, NY
2000: "Painting Abstraction," New York Studio School, New York, NY
: Museum," Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY
: "Snapshots: An Exhibition of 1000 Artists," The Contemporary, Baltimore, MD
: "The Perpetual Well: Contemporary Art from the Collection of the Jewish
: "175th Annual Exhibition," National Academy of Design, New York, NY
1999: "Severed Ear: The Poetry of Abstraction," Creiger-Dane Gallery, Boston,MA
: "Drawing in the Present Tense," Parsons School of Design, New York, NY
: "Gestural Abstraction," Hunter College/Times Square Gallery, New York, NY
: "Walking," Danese Gallery, New York, NY
: "American Abstraction / American Realism: The Great Debate," curated by Jonathan Van Dyke, Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA
1998: "Paintings & Drawings," Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, IL
: "San Francisco International Art Exposition," Cheim & Read Exhibition Booth, San Francisco, CA
: "Undercurrents & Overtones: Contemporary Abstract Painting," California College of the Arts, Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, Oakland, CA
: "Small Paintings," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
1997: "Voices: The Power of Abstraction," Eighth Floor Gallery, New York, NY
: "Convergence," George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
: of Art, Fort Wayne, IN (11/8/1997–1/9/1998)
: "Affinities with the East," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
: "Basically Black & White," Neuberger Museum, State University of New York at Purchase, NY
: "After the Fall: Aspects of Abstract Painting since 1970," Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
: "Retreat and Renewal: The Painters and Sculptors of the MacDowell Colony," Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH; traveled to Equitable Gallery, New York (1/17–3/23/1998); Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS (4/20–6/15/1998); Fort Wayne Museum
: "Abstract Painting," curated by Jeffrey Wasserman, Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson, NY
1996: "Summer Group Show," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
: "Transforming the Social Order," Tyler Galleries, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
: "Women’s Work," Greene Naftali, New York, NY
1995: "New Faculty," Harvard University, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Cambridge, MA
: "25 Americans: Painting in the ‘90s," Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
: "Artist’s Choice: Elizabeth Murray," Museum of Modern Art, NY
: Carnegie International, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1994: "46th Annual Academy Purchase Exhibition," American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
: "Abstract Works on Paper," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
: "Consecrations: The Spiritual in Art in the Time of AIDS," Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MI
: "Couples," Elga Wimmer, New York, NY
: "Small and Wet: Abstract Painting and Sculpture," Bernard Toale Gallery, Boston, MA
: Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY (11/6–1/15/1995); Rahr West Museum, Manitowoc, WI (4/14–5/16/1994)
: "Relatively Speaking: Mothers and Daughters in Art," Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar, VA; traveled to
1993: "Singularities," Blondies Contemporary Art, New York, NY
: "30th Anniversary Exhibition of Drawings," to benefit the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, Inc., Castelli Gallery, New York, NY
: "The Linear Image II," Marisa del Re Gallery, New York, NY
: "Art Discovery ’93," Cooperstown Art Association and Smithy-Pioneer Gallery, Cooperstown, New York, NY
: "The Inaugural Show," The Painting Center, New York, NY
: "Drawing the Line Against AIDS," under the aegis of the 45th Venice Biennale, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy (6/8–6/13/1993); reinstalled at
: the Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY (11/6–11/19/1993)
: "Abstract-Figurative," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
1992: "The Jewish Museum’s Masked Ball in Celebration of Purim," Jewish Museum, New York, NY
: "Paintings by Martha Diamond, Mary Heilman, Harriet Korman, Louise Fishman and Bernard Piffaretti," Robert Miller Gallery, New York, NY
1991: Contemporáneo, Polonco, Mexico (6/13–9/1/1991); Musèe d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (MAMAC), Nice, France
: "Something Pithier and More Psychological," Simon Watson Gallery, New York, NY
: "Twentieth-Century Collage," Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; traveled to Centro Cultural Arte
: "Act-Up Benefit," Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, NY
: "Spring/Summer Exhibition, Part One: Painters," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
1990: "Group Exhibition of Gallery Artists," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "From Earth to Archetype," LedisFlam Gallery, New York, NY
: "A Group Exhibition," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
1989: "A Decade of American Drawing 1980–1989," Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
: "A Group Exhibition," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "Belief in Paint: Eleven Contemporary Artists," Usdan Gallery, Bennington College, Bennington, VT
: "Fragments of History," Albany Museum of Art, Albany, GA
: "Works on Paper," Lennon, Weinberg, Inc., New York, NY
: "Towards Form," Greenberg, Wilson Gallery, New York, NY
1988: "Selections from the Edward R. Downe, Jr. Collection," curated by Klaus Kertess, Davis-McClain Gallery, Houston, TX
: "Louise Fishman, David Reed, Joan Mitchell," curated by Marjorie Welish, Barbara Toll Gallery, New York, NY
: "Golem: Danger, Deliverance and Art," Jewish Museum, New York, NY
1987: "The Parrish Art Museum," Southampton, NY
: "Whitney Museum of American Art 1987 Biennial Exhibition," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
: "40th Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting," Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
1986: "Jewish Themes/Contemporary American Artists II," Jewish Museum, New York, NY; traveled to Spertus Museum of Judaica, Chicago, IL; National Museum of Jewish History, Philadelphia, PA
: "Louise Fishman," Hermine Ford and Arthur Cohen, Hofstra University, New York, NY
: "Spirit Tracks – Big Abstract Drawings," Pratt Manhattan Center Gallery, New York and Pratt Institute Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
: "Artists for Pride," Nexus Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
: Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York
: Heland Thorden Wetterling Galleries, Stockholm, Sweden
1985: "Painting as Landscape," curated by Klaus Kertess, Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY; traveled to Baxter Art Gallery, Pasadena, CA
: "Paintings 1985," Pam Adler Gallery, New York, NY
: "Drawings 1975–1985," Barbara Toll Fine Arts, New York, NY
: "An Invitational," curated by Tiffany Bell, Condeso/Lawler, New York, NY
: Baskerville & Watson Gallery, New York, NY
: "Twelve Painters and Six Sculptors, Tyler Galleries, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
1984: "Relief Prints Since 1980," Summit Art Center, Summit, NJ
: "Second Nature: Abstract Drawings and Paintings," curated by John Lee and Tom Wolf, Proctor Art Center, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
: "New Prints Since 1980," Phillip Johnson Center, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
: Cable Gallery, New York
1983: "Six Painters," Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY
: "Painting from the Mind’s Eye," Hillwood Art Gallery, Long Island University, Greenvale, NY
: "Drawing In and Out," Baskerville & Watson, NY
1982: "Mixing Art and Politics," Randolph Street Gallery, Chicago, IL
: "Painterly Abstraction," Fort Wayne Museum, Fort Wayne, IN
: Washburn Gallery, New York, NY
: Susanne Hilberry Gallery, Birmingham, MI
: "Abstract Painting: Substance and Meaning – Painting by Woman Artists," New York Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art, New York, NY
: "Five New York Artists: Stuart Diamond, Louise Fishman, Guy Goodwin, Bill Jensen, Judy Pfaff," Suzanne Lemberg Usdan Gallery, Bennington College,
: "Abstraction," Neuberger Museum, State University of New York at Purchase, NY
1981: "CAPS Grantees from Brooklyn," Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY
: "CAPS Award Winners in Painting 1980–198," Proctor Art Center, Bard College and Munson Williams Proctor Museum, Utica, NY
: "Painting Invitational," Oscarsson-Hood Gallery, New York, NY
: "Rush Rhees Fine Arts Gallery," University of Rochester, NY
1980: "Inaugural Exhibit," Oscarsson-Hood Gallery, New York, NY
: "Work on Paper," Mary Boone Gallery, New York, NY
1979: "Major New Works," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
1977: "Fifth Anniversary Show," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, NY
: "Critic’s Choice," Joe and Emily Lowe Art Gallery, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY; traveled to Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Museum of Art, Utica, NY
: "Major New Works," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
: "Nancy Hoffman in Oxford," Miami University, Oxford, OH
: "Preparatory Notes —Thinking Drawings, Part II," 80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York University, NY
: "Paintings that Reveal the Wall," curated by Tom Wolf, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
1976: "Paris International Art Fair," Grand Palais, Paris, France
: "Artist ’76: A Celebration," Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, TX
: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
1975: John Doyle Gallery, Chicago, IL
: "New York Faculty Exhibition," Proctor Art Center, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
1973: "Whitney Museum of American Art 1973 Biennial Exhibition," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
: "A Woman’s Group," Nancy Hoffman Gallery, New York, NY
1972: "Open A.I.R.," A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY
: "Summer Show," Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, NY
1963: "National Watercolor and Drawing Exhibition," Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Awards, Grants and Fellowships

1963: Tyler School of Art, Temple University, First Painting Prize, Student Exhibit
1974: Change, Inc., Artists Fellowship
1975: Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Bertha Lowenburg Prize for the Senior Woman to Excel in Art National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Artists Fellowship, Painting
1979: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in Fine Arts
1980: MacDowell Colony Visual Artists Fellowship
1981: Creative Artists Public Service Program (CAPS) Fellowship in Painting
1983: National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Artists Fellowship, Painting
1986: New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation General Support Grant
1993: National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artists Fellowship, Painting
2002: Adolph & Clara Obrig Prize for Painting, National Academy of Design, 177th Annual Exhibition

Bibliography

2023: Cotter, Holland. "What to See in N.Y.C. Galleries in June," New York Times, June 24 (Link)
: Sheets, Hilarie M. "Komal Shah, Champion of Female Artists, Works to Raise Their Profiles," New York Times, March 22 (Link)
2022: Lancaster, Lex. "Krannert Art Museum | Lecture by Lex Lancaster | Queer Abstraction: Dragging Difficult Histories," Youtube.com, February 23 (Link)
: Lancaster, Lex Morgan. "A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing / Lex Morgan Lancaster," ASAP Journal, January 6 (Link)
2021: Baran, Jessica. "Scrawled and Sensuous: Louise Fishman at Krannert Art Museum," Art In America, December 15 (Link)
: Sillman, Amy. "UNSTRAIGHT LINES, Louise Fishman (1939–2021)," Artfourm, November (Link)
: Casid, Jill H. "Art + Design Visitors Series: Jill H. Casid at Krannert Art Museum," Youtube.com, October 21 (Link)
: Anderson, Farrah. "Krannert Art Museum exhibit pays unexpected tribute to Louise Fishman," The Daily Illini, September 17 (Link)
: University of Illinois. "An Exhibition at Krannert Art Museum Delves Into Louise Fishman’s Works on Paper," Hyperallergic, September 13 (Link)
: Zilis, Anthony. "Krannert Art Museum's new exhibit becomes 'unexpected memorial' for UI grad, painter," The News Gazette, September 3 (Link)
: Heckel, Jodi. "Krannert Art Museum retrospective of Louise Fishman's drawings an unexpected memorial," Illinois News Bureau, August 31 (Link)
2020: Soboleva, Ksenia. "Louise Fishman: Ballin’ the Jack," The Brooklyn Rail, December
: Als, Hilton. "Goings on About Town: Louise Fishman," The New Yorker, December
: Pardee, Hearne. "Louise Fishman: An Hour is a Sea," The Brooklyn Rail, May (Link)
2019: Domal, Debra. "ICYMI: Louise Fishman’s Spring 2019 KAM artist talk is on YouTube," Smile Politely, December 4 (Link)
: Ollman, Leah. "Review: Better late than never: It’s time to submit to the surprises of Louise Fishman’s art," Los Angeles Times, October 22 (Link)
: Newhall, Edith. "Homegrown painter Louise Fishman gets a victory lap in Philadelphia," Philadelphia Inquirer, September 26 (Link)
: Miller, Chris. "Bigger Isn’t Always Better: A Review of ‘Small Painting’ at Corbett vs. Dempsey," New City Art, July 22 (Link)
: "Locks Gallery announces representation of Louise Fishman," artdaily, July 11 (Link)
2017: Avgikos, Jan. "Louise Fishman at Cheim Read," The Brooklyn Rail, October 5 (Link)
: "Louise Fishman at Cheim & Read," Wall Street Journal, September 12
2016: Grabner, Michelle. "Previews: Louise Fishman: Paper Louise Tiny Fishman Rock,” Artforum, May (Link)
: Cotter, Holland. "The Evolution of Louise Fishman, Brash and Fierce," New York Times, June 11 (Link)
: Simmons, William J. "Louise Fishman's Abstract Activism," Interview, May 2 (Link)
: Huff Hunter, Becky. "Louise Fishman," Artforum, March 29 (Link)
2015: "On Louise Fishman’s Hard-Won Task: Making Feminism and Abstract Expressionism Play Nice," Artsy, November 9 (Link)
2014: Loos, Ted. "Fresh Perspective, Abstraction Abounds at The Whitney Biennial," Vogue, March
: Moyer, Carrie. "A Restless Spirit," Art in America, October 2 (Link)
2012: Frank, Priscilla. "Louise Fishman on Fifty Years of Fitting in While Sticking Out," Huffington Post, September 15 (Link)
: "Zero at the Bone: Louise Fishman Speaks with Carrie Moyer," ArtJournal, Winter
: Turvey, Liz. "Louise Fishman at Cheim & Read," Artforum, December (Link)
: Moyer, Carrie. "A Restless Spirit," Art in America, October 2 (Link)
: "Louise Fishman with Sharon Butler," The Brooklyn Rail, October 4 (Link)
2010: Baker, Kenneth. "Abstract Flows into Wholeness," San Francisco Chronicle, October 9
2009: Fyfe, Joe. "Louise Fishman at Cheim & Read," artcrical, April 18 (Link)
2008: Micchelli, Thomas. "WHACK! A Feminist Revolution," The Brooklyn Rail, March
2007: Hurt III, Harry. "Stick Shock a Hazard, Even When the Artists are Only Potential Stars," New York Times, December 15
2006: "Louise Fishman at Cheim Read," New Yorker, March 13
: Weil, Rex. "Louise Fishman at Cheim Read," ArtNews, June
: Princethal, Nancy. "Louise Fishman at Cheim Read," Art in America, May
1999: Cotter, Holland. "'Immediacies of the Hand' Recent Abstract Painting in New York," New York Times, April 9
: Baker, Kenneth. "Fishman's Relaxed Abstract Expression / Paintings enrich historical echoes," SFGate, April 24 (Link)
: Sozanski, Edward. "Art: Artists are kin, art is unrelated," The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 17 (Link)
1996: Smith, Roberta, "Palettes Full of Ideas of What Art Should Be," New York Times, November 1
1993: Kasrel, Deni. "Judaism a constant source of inspiration for Fishman," Jewish Times, January 21
: Seidel, Miriam. "Material Imperatives," Art in America, September
1992: Cotter, Holland. "Art in Review: Group Show," New York Times, June 26
1990: Hagen, Charles. "Louise Fishman," Artforum, January (Link)
1989: Brenson, Michael. "Louise Fishman," New York Times, October 13 (Link)
1979: Rickey, Carrie. "Louise Fishman, Nancy Hoffman Gallery," Artforum, December
1977: Russell, John. "Louise Fishman," New York Times, May 27
1970: Fishman, Louise. "How I Do It: Cautionary Advice from a Lesbian Painter," Heresies

Exhibition Catalogues and Publications

2023: Godfrey, Mark, Katy Siegel, Aria Dean, Laura Owens, Glenn Adamson. “Making Their Mark: Art by Women in the Shah Garg Collection,” Gregory R. Miller & Co, ARTBOOK D.A.P., New York, NY pg 202-203, 2023
2022: Gerald Stern, Carter Ratcliff, Rachel Haidu, Archie Rand. "Louise Fishman: 1960s Darkness and Light," Karma Books New York, New York, NY
2021: Powell, L. Amy. "A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing," Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Distributed by Artbook, D.A.P., New York, NY
: Sorkin, Jenni. "Art in California," Thames & Hudson Inc., United Kingdom, pp 167

Public Collections

: American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
: Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
: Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
: Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
: Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
: Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
: Jewish Museum, New York, NY
: Krannert Art Museum, Champaign, IL
: Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
: Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
: National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.
: Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York, Purchase, NY
: University Museum of Contemporary Art, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
: University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI
: Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Greensboro, NC
: Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA

Louise Fishman

About

Selected Works

Exhibitions

Biography