L to R: George Woodman. “Beauty is Truth,” 1976. 52 x 52 in. Acrylic on canvas. Image courtesy RISD Museum | Francesca Woodman. “Charlie the Model #10,” 1976, 5 5/16 x 5 3/8 in. Lifetime gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “Pillow Pitcher: Rain Forest,” c. 1980s. 20 x 24 x 16 in. Glazed earthenware © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
George Woodman. “Beauty is Truth,” 1976. 52 x 52 in. Acrylic on canvas © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Image courtesy RISD Museum.
RISD Museum Acquisitions
We’re thrilled that RISD Museum has acquired a group of important works by Betty, Francesca, and George Woodman from the Foundation’s holdings through a combination of museum funds and Foundation gifts. RISD occupies a singular place of importance for the Woodman family, from Francesca’s formative years there as a young artist and student to Betty’s 2005 solo exhibition at the museum and RISD Honorary Degree in 2009.
L to R: “Untitled,” c. 1979-80. 5 x 3 15/16 in. | Francesca Woodman's vintage fox fur from WFF Archives | “Untitled,” c. 1979-80. 7 1/2 x 4 3/4 in | “Untitled,” 1979, 5 13/16 x 5 13/16 in | “Untitled,” 1978, 34 1/2 x 40 1/2 in | “Untitled,” 1976. 5 3/4 x 5 3/4 in | “Untitled,” 5 7/8 x 5 7/8 in. All gelatin silver prints. All works by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” c. 1979-80. 5 x 3 15/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Vintage fox fur from Francesca Woodman's archives used in her work, 1976-80
The Foundation’s archives include many of the dresses, shoes, scarves, gloves and other clothing that Francesca Woodman used in her photographs and in her daily life. This fox fur, probably picked up at a vintage shop or flea market like much that she wore, makes an appearance in many of her photographs.
L to R: Betty Woodman, Italy, c. 1965-66 / Betty Woodman, Charles Woodman, and Francesca Woodman, Italy, c. 1960s / Charles Woodman and friend, Italy, c. 1966 / Betty Woodman and friends, Italy, c. 1966 / Betty Woodman, Francesca Woodman, and friend, Antella, Italy, c. 1968 / Betty Woodman and friends, Antella, Italy, c. 1980 / Betty Woodman, Antella, Italy, c. 1995 / George Woodman, Antella, Italy, c. 1995 / Betty Woodman, George Woodman, and friends, Antella, Italy, c. 1995. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman, Italy, c. 1965-66. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Dining al fresco with the Woodman family, c. 1960s-1995
The Woodman family spent many summer days and evenings dining al fresco in Italy with family and friends throughout the years. Most of these snapshots were taken by George, who often had his camera in hand and documented their family life.
L to R: 1 & 3: Installation view, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1980 | "Study for Tree Piece,” c. 1980. 14 1/2 x 15 1/4 in. Diazotype / 4-5: “Untitled,” 1980. 2 13/16 x 9 15/16 in. Gelatin silver print. Letter on reverse of print | “Untitled,” 1980. 11 x 14 in. Gelatin silver print. All works by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Francesca Woodman. Installation view, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1980. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Francesca Woodman, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, New Hampshire, 1980
Francesca Woodman spent three weeks in July of 1980 on a fellowship at the MacDowell Colony, surrounded by other artists, as well as musicians, poets, novelists and the forests of rural New Hampshire. She arrived there from New York, already thinking about trees.
The Woodman family and friends throughout the years in Antella, Italy, c. 1960s-2010s. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
The Woodman family and friends, Antella, Italy, c. 1960s. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
The breakfast nook, Antella, Italy, c. 1960s-2010s
For over fifty years, the Woodman family has enjoyed many meals and conversations in the breakfast nook at their farmhouse in Antella, Italy. Built in a circular space that had originally housed a brick oven, the nook overlooks the hills of Tuscany and spectacular sunsets.
L to R: 1-2: "Segno: Notiziario di arte contemporanea," Issue 9, Summer 1978. Woodman Family Foundation Archives | Francesca Woodman. "From Space²” or "Space²", 1976, from the "Space²" series, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
"Segno: Notiziario di arte contemporanea," Issue 9, summer 1978. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Francesca Woodman, Segno Magazine, 1978
In the summer of 1978, Francesca Woodman’s photograph "From Space²" or "Space²" was featured in the Italian contemporary art magazine “Segno.” In the accompanying text, she explained that her original idea for the image came from her desire to illustrate literary metaphors but evolved over a group of photographs into a kind of story following a figure who explores these metaphors.
Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” c. 1979. 5 7/8 x 5 7/8 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in "Feminist Avant-Garde of the 1970s," Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia, 2022
As part of an extensive international exhibition tour, “Feminist Avant-Garde of the 1970s” opens today at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Serbia. Organized by the Sammlung Verbund and drawing on works from their in-depth collections, the exhibition presents photography, video, film and performance by seventy-eight pioneering female artists of the 1970s, including photographs by Francesca Woodman. On view through June 24th.
Francesca Woodman. "Untitled," 1980, 71 1/4 x 36 1/4 in. Archival pigment print © Woodman Family Foundation / VISDA, Copenhagen
ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in "Women and Change," Arken Museum of Modern Art, Denmark, 2022
“Women and Change” at the Arken Museum of Modern Art in Denmark considers unfolding depictions of women in Western art history over the past 150 years, a period that roughly parallels the history of the women’s rights movement. The exhibition presents works by 64 international artists that challenge ideas about the body, gender, identity and history, including Francesca Woodman’s “Untitled” (1980).
Francesca Woodman. "Self-Portrait Talking to Vince," c. 1976-77, 5 3/16 x 5 1/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / IVARO, Dublin
ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in "girls girls girls," Lismore Castle Arts, Lismore, Ireland, 2022
Francesca Woodman in “girls girls girls” at Lismore Castle Arts, Lismore, Ireland. On view April 2 through October 30, 2022. Curated by Simone Rocha.
Francesca Woodman. “Untitled," c. 1975-78. 3 3/4 x 3 3/4 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
“The Lady of the Glove: Francesca Woodman and Surrealism" by Celia Bùi Lê
We are pleased to share “The Lady of the Glove: Francesca Woodman and Surrealism” by Celia Bùi Lê, who was our research intern in Summer 2021 through the Studio Institute. In her essay, Lê traces the history of Surrealism as related to women, both as maker and as muse, and discusses Woodman’s use of its tropes as a type of creative empowerment.
L to R: “Untitled,” 1979. 3 5/16 x 3 7/16 in. Digital chromogenic print / "1" or "A Woman is a Mirror for a Man #1," 1976, from the "A Woman is a Mirror for a Man" series. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London
Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” 1979. 3 5/16 x 3 7/16 in. Digital chromogenic print © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London
ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in "A Century of the Artist's Studio: 1920-2020," Whitechapel Gallery, London, England, 2022
Francesca Woodman in “A Century of the Artist’s Studio: 1920-2020.” Whitechapel Gallery, London. February 24 through June 5, 2022.
Francesca Woodman. "Untitled," c. 1977-78. 3 13/16 x 3 13/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
REVIEW: "Francesca Woodman: Alternate Stories" featured in BBC Culture, December 2021
Read a review on "Francesca Woodman: Alternate Stories" by Andrew Dickson in BBC Culture.