L to R: Entrance to the Woodman family’s farmhouse adorned with a Pillow Pitcher by Betty atop a wall of George’s “sgraffito,” 2017 / View of the olive groves from Betty’s studio, 2004 / Betty cutting well-tended roses growing against the wall next to her studio, 2008 / Betty making flower arrangements with roses, dahlias and gerbera daisies from her garden, 2006 / Betty putting fresh flowers in a group of her “Vase and Stand” works, 1984 / Betty, a young family friend, and Francesca, c. late 1960s / Table set for dinner, 2016, photo by Brigid McCaffrey / Generous bowls and baskets full of figs, plums, peaches, grapes, and tomatoes, 2016 / Betty, Charlie and Francesca cooking together, c. early 1970s / George at his studio door, 2006 / A view out from the same door, 2008 / Francesca and Betty holding their bunnies, c. 1968 / Charlie on his motorino, c. late 1960s / Betty and friend with Betty’s triptych “June in Italy” (2001), c. 2001 / George with his sculpture, c. early 1970s / he Woodman family’s patio with potted geraniums and the olive grove in view, c. 1990s / Morning glories climbing George’s “sgrafitto” wall, c. 1990s. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
L to R: Entrance to the Woodman family’s farmhouse adorned with a Pillow Pitcher by Betty atop a wall of George’s “sgraffito,” 2017. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
AUGUST IN ANTELLA
Beginning in the summer of 1968, the Woodman Family spent every summer at their stone farmhouse in Antella, Italy, just outside of Florence. As children, Charlie and Francesca joined their parents and later visited on their own, soaking in Italian culture and influences. Betty and George made some of their most important artistic breakthroughs there—a place George once described as "an artist residency for two.” All summer long, their garden produced abundant food and flowers—the tomatoes were particularly good in August, happily shared with frequent visitors.
Letter from George Woodman to Francesca Woodman, September 4, 1977. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
A letter from George Woodman to Francesca Woodman, September 4, 1977
September of 1977 marked the start of new academic year for each of the Woodmans and the pursuit of teaching or studies in four different locations around the US and Europe. Francesca Woodman had just begun her fruitful year in Rome with the RISD European Honors Program, after spending some time in Antella. In a letter sent to her from Boulder, George Woodman recaps summer travels and reports on the rest of the family’s activities.
Francesca Woodman. "Untitled," 1978, 8 3/8 x 8 9/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in “New Time: Art and Feminisms in the 21st Century” at BAMPFA, Berkeley, California, 2021
This ambitious survey of recent feminist practices in contemporary art begins with Lucy Lippard’s observation that feminist art is “a value system, a revolutionary strategy, a way of life.” While the majority of works on view were made in the first two decades of this century, highlighting the wide-ranging concerns and multiple perspectives of contemporary artists, influential works made by artists of earlier generations are also featured, including three photographs by Francesca Woodman.
Envelope for letter from George Woodman in Boulder, Colorado to Francesca Woodman in Rome, Italy, October 19, 1977. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Betty Woodman, Francesca Woodman, and George Woodman in “Interior Scroll or What I Did on My Vacation” at S&S Corner Shop, The Art Building, Springs, New York, 2021
We are pleased to announce that this exhibition includes a selection of correspondence written between Betty, Francesca and George Woodman in 1978, as well as Francesca Woodman’s “Selected Video Works,” 1976-1978.
L to R: Installation view, “Rincontrarsi a Venezia,” Spazio Berlendis, Venice, Italy, 2021, including “Untitled,” 1980. 101.93 x 36.62 in. Diazotype / "Self-Deceit #2,” 1978, from the "Self-Deceit" series, 3 9/16 x 3 1/4 in. / “Self-Deceit #7,” 1978, from the "Self-Deceit" series. 3 5/8 x 3 9/16 in. All gelatin silver prints. All works by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / SIAE, Rome
Installation view, “Rincontrarsi a Venezia,” Spazio Berlendis, Venice, Italy, 2021. Artwork by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / SIAE, Rome
Francesca Woodman in “Rincontrarsi a Venezia” at Spazio Berlendis, Venice, Italy, 2021
LAST CHANCE TO SEE Francesca Woodman in Rincontrarsi a Venezia at Spazio Berlendis, Venice, Italy. On view through July 17, 2021.
Family photographs of the Woodman’s sightseeing in Italy, circa 1959-60 and 1965-66. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
George, Charles and Francesca Woodman in Rome, Italy, 1966. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
The Woodman family explores Italy, circa 1959-60 and 1965-66
The Woodman family’s lifelong love of Italy began in 1951 with Betty’s yearlong apprenticeship in Fiesole. After marrying in 1953, Betty and George took their young children, Charles and Francesca, for extended stays in 1959-60 and again in 1965-66.
Francesca Woodman. "#1" or "House #1" or "Abandoned House," 1976, from the "Abandoned House" series, 4 15/16 x 5 116 in. Gelatin silver print. Collection of the Addison © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Francesca Woodman in "Learning to Look: The Addison at 90" at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, 2021
The Addison has a long and important history with Francesca Woodman. It was the first institution to collect her work, purchasing six of her photographs in 1976. She had her first solo exhibition there that same year, including works she made while studying at Rhode Island School of Design.
L to R: "Untitled," 1978 | Invitation by Francesca Woodman | Installation views, Woods-Gerry Gallery, RISD, 1978 / Review by David K. Miller, 1978. Woodman Family Foundation Archives
Invitation by Francesca Woodman, 1978 © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Francesca Woodman's BFA graduate exhibition at Woods-Gerry Hall Gallery, RISD, 1978
Francesca Woodman’s graduate exhibition as a student at the Rhode Island School of Design was held at the school’s Woods-Gerry Gallery in November 1978. She considered it a “swan song” to her time there as shown in her photocopied invitation. She reported on the opening in a letter to her friend Edith Schloss: “you would have enjoyed it i bought all these bird whistles that one fills with water and they warble in n.y. do you remember them from when you used to live there? anyway the room was very echoey with these things and i actually enjoyed the opening.”
L to R: “Guerilla Gallerizing” review by Peter Frank in “The Village Voice,” May 7, 1979 | George Woodman. "Untitled," c. 1975-77. 67 x 67 in. Acrylic on canvas © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Woodman Family Foundation Archives
"Guerilla Gallerizing” review by Peter Frank in “The Village Voice,” May 7, 1979. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
George Woodman review by Peter Frank in "The Village Voice," May 7, 1979
In May of 1979, George Woodman received this review from “The Village Voice” in the mail, clipped and sent to him by his daughter Francesca. It was addressed in her hand “For Daddy,” and pointed out where his work is discussed.
Francesca Woodman birth announcement, drawing by George Woodman, 1958. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.
Francesca Woodman birth announcement, 1958
Francesca Woodman was born on this day in 1958. Her artist parents used this drawing by George, recently discovered in the family archive, to share the good news with family and friends.
All works by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
PLOTLINE 5: FRANCESCA WOODMAN / Traces of Performance
PLOTLINE 5 considers the performative aspects of Francesca Woodman’s practice. In her photographs and videos, Woodman claimed the female body as subject by using her own - staging and sequencing its movements, capturing it in motion. The bodily, temporal, and spatial concerns in Woodman’s work align her with the feminist performance art of her time. Woodman’s photographs reveal traces of her carefully constructed performative process.
Francesca Woodman. "From Polka Dots" or "Polka Dots," 1976, from the "Polka Dots" series, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London
Francesca Woodman on The Great Women Artists Podcast
Katy Hessel of The Great Women Artists Podcast interviews Katarina Jerinic, the Woodman Family Foundation’s Collections Curator, on Francesca Woodman’s work and life. The two discuss photographs made in Providence, Italy and New York and Jerinic shares some of Woodman’s own words and ideas found in the Foundation's archives.