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L to R: “Untitled,” c. 1977-78, 8 x 8 1/16 in. | “Untitled,” 1977, 5 5/16 x 5 3/8 in. | Installation view from ““Blur / Obscure / Distort: Photography and Perception,” Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, 2025. Photo courtesy Norton Museum of Art. All gelatin silver prints. All artworks by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” c. 1977-78, 8 x 8 1/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Bildupphovsrätt i Sverige, Stockholm

NOW ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in "The Subterranean Sky: Surrealism in the Moderna Museet Collection" and “Blur / Obscure / Distort: Photography and Perception”

Works by Francesca Woodman are currently on view in two museum exhibitions about Surrealism and photography's relationship with truth at the Moderna Museet and Norton Museum of Art, respectively.

L to R: 2: “Self Portrait,” 1976, 4 13/16 x 4 14/16 in. | 3: “From Polka Dots” or “Polka Dots,” 1976, from the “Polka Dots” series, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. | 4: “Untitled,” 1979, 5 13/16 x 5 13/16 in. | 5: “Untitled,” c. 1975-76, 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. | 6: “Untitled,” 1978, 37 3/8 x 35 3/4 in. | 7: “Untitled,” 1980, 79 1/2 x 36 1/4 in. Lifetime diazotype | 8: “Some Disordered Interior Geometries,” c. 1980-81, 9 x 6 1/2 in. Found notebook with artist’s 16 lifetime gelatin silver print. 24 pages plus cover. All lifetime gelatin silver prints. All artworks by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Group, artworks by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Major acquisition by the Art Institute of Chicago

Thrilled to announce that the Art Institute of Chicago has acquired 30 important lifetime works by Francesca Woodman from the Foundation’s holdings. With the breadth and depth of this acquisition, the Art Institute now owns the largest institutional collection of the artist’s lifetime works and has become a major center for its preservation and public display.

L to R: 1: “Untitled,” 1980, 5 5/8 x 5 9/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 2: “Untitled,” 1980, 4 15/16 x 4 15/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 3: “Zig Zag (Dress),” 1980, 36 1/2 x 92 in. Diazotype | 4: “Untitled,” 1979, 5 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | 5: “Untitled,” 1979, 3 13/16 x 3 13/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 6: “Untitled,” 1980, 4 15/16 x 4 15/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 7: “I'm Trying My Hand at Fashion Photography,” 1977, 4 11/16 x 4 15/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 8: “Untitled,” c. 1979-80, 6 3/16 x 9 in. Gelatin silver print | 9: “Untitled,” c. 1979-80, 5 3/8 x 5 7/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 10: “Untitled,” c. 1979-80, 6 5/8 x 6 3/4 in. Gelatin silver print. All artworks by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” 1980, 5 5/8 x 5 9/16 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Alice Butler on Francesca Woodman in "Gestures: A Body of Work," 2025: READING ROOM

In "Gestures: A Body of Work," first published this year, editors Alice Butler, Nell Osborne, and Hilary White compile a series of essays which explore embodied, affective, and political gesture in feminist art and writing. In her own contribution to the collection, Butler delves into the ways Woodman uses textiles in her photographs and their relationship to bodies and touch.

L to R: George Woodman. “285” or “Bari” or “Winterreise”, 1975, 65 x 65 in. Acrylic on canvas | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1975-78, 6 5/8 x 6 9/16 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “Joined Vases”, 1972, 11 1/2 x 23 x 10 in. Porcelain | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1979-80, 11 x 14 in. Gelatin silver print | George Woodman. “Study in White: Marble from Michelangelo’s Quarry”, 2004, 16 x 20 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “Boys”, 2013, 28 x 28 x 7 in. Glazed earthenware | George Woodman. “Untitled”, 1974, 84 x 84 in. Acrylic on canvas | Detail from Betty Woodman. “Aeolian Pyramid”, 2001/2006, approx. 150 x 168 x 100 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, paint | George Woodman. “Tessellation Sky”, 1975, 54 1/2 x 54 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas | Betty Woodman. “Nina’s Room”, 2012, 86 x 107 x 12 1/2 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1977-78, 3 13/16 x 3 7/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “Judith’s Window”, 2012, 59 1/2 x 43 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, acrylic paint, canvas, wood | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, 1980, 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “Divided Vases: Window”, 2012, 33 1/4 x 42 x 7 1/2 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, paint | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, 1976, 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | George Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1980, dimensions unknown. Acrylic on canvas | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1979-80, 3 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman. “Untitled,” c. 1979-80, 5 1/2 x 5 5/8 in. Gelatin silver print | George Woodman. “Christening Dress and Roman Sculpture (A Roman Fragment with a Christening Dress)”, 2011, 42 x 38 1/2 in. Oil on gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman. “White Amphoras”, 2004, 33 x 57 x 12 in. Glazed earthenware. All artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

George Woodman. “285” or “Bari” or “Winterreise”, 1975, 65 x 65 in. Acrylic on canvas © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The Woodmans and the use of white

Betty Woodman and George Woodman are often celebrated for their exuberant use of color, while Francesca Woodman is best known for her dramatic black-and-white photographs, filled with shades of grey. Working across different mediums and methods, the Woodman artists used white—and the absence of color—to fascinating effects.

Photos, L to R: Betty Woodman in her New York studio, c. 1983 | Francesca Woodman, c. 1979-80. Photo: George Woodman | George Woodman in front of his paper tile installation, 1979 Woodman Family Foundation Archives. Artwork and photo by George Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Graphic with text: "WFF Housing Stability Grant for Artists / 3-year rent subsidies for 5 visual artists in NYC"

Announcing the WFF Housing Stability Grant for NYC-based visual artists

Thrilled to announce our partnership with NYFA on the inaugural WOODMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION HOUSING STABILITY GRANT for ARTISTS (WFF HSG). In recognition of the increasing unaffordability of rental housing in New York City and the housing insecurity it creates for artists, we will award grants of $30,000—distributed over three years—to five visual artists with the goal of improving their housing stability.

L to R: Group, T to B: Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint / George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas / Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint | George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 1977. Gelatin silver prints | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “Untitled,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 5/16 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print | Francesca Woodman, “2,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print All artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Group, T to B: Betty Woodman, “Athens,” 1991, 35 1/2 x 68 5/8 x 10 1/4 in. Glazed earthenware, epoxy resin, lacquer, and paint / George Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1966-68, 39 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. Acrylic on canvas / Francesca Woodman, “After My Grandmother's Funeral,” 1977, from the “After My Grandmother's Funeral” series, 5 1/8 x 5 1/4 in. Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Acquisition by the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 2024

We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of a group of important works by Betty Woodman, Francesca Woodman, and George Woodman from the Foundation’s holdings by the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire.

L to R: Micaela shows the Pratt class a magazine article on George Woodman and Betty Woodman. Photo by Cristina Pattuelli. | Detail of a drawing done by Francesca Woodman with a note to Betty Woodman and George Woodman. The drawing includes a sofa Francesca used as a prop in photographs and teacups likely depict Betty Woodman’s ceramics. Flight information in the note may help us establish timelines for all three artists in the future. | Photo boxes owned by George Woodman. While the boxes are not “archival” (acid free), the information written on them by the artist makes them valuable in establishing provenance of final artworks. | The archive interior. Simple industrial rolling racks are utilized to hold archival assets.

Micaela shows the Pratt class a magazine article on George Woodman and Betty Woodman. Photo by Cristina Pattuelli.

Visit to WFF Archive from the Pratt School of Information’s MSLIS program, November 18, 2024

The Woodman Family Foundation archive was delighted to host students from the Art Documentation class in the Pratt School of Information’s MSLIS program on November 18. Professor Cristina Pattuelli, consulting archivist Sewon Kang, and the students joined us to survey of some of the archives highlights and have an engaging discussion on the unique opportunities and challenges the Woodman Family archives have.

L to R: “Self-Portrait at Thirteen," c. 1972, 6 3/4 x 6 11/16 in. Gelatin silver print | 2 & 3: Francesca Woodman's Yashica Mat-124G camera | “Untitled," 1979, 3 5/16 x 3 1/2 in. Chromogenic print. All artworks by Francesca Woodman © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.

Francesca Woodman's first camera: FROM THE ARCHIVES

In 1972, Francesca Woodman received her first camera, a 6x6 twin-lens reflex Yashica Mat-124G, from her father, George Woodman.

L to R: Francesca Woodman, “Untitled," c. 1976, 4 7/8 x 5 1/8 in. Courtesy Elton John and David Furnish Collection. | Exhibition poster, “Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection” with Harley Weir, “Boys Don’t Cry, Senegal, 2015,” 2015 © Harley Weir | Francesca Woodman, “Untitled,” 1979, 5 7/8 x 5 13/16 in. | Detail from installation view of “Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection," Victoria and Albert Museum, 2024. Image courtesy and copyright Victoria and Albert Museum & James Retief | Exhibition graphic, “The ‘70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography” with Anthony Barboza, “New York City,” 1970s © Anthony Barboza Photography | Francesca Woodman, “Untitled,” c. 1977-78, 5 9/16 x 5 3/8 in. | Francesca Woodman, “House #3,” c. 1975-76, from the “Abandoned House” series, 6 3/8 x 6 7/16 in. All Francesca Woodman works gelatin silver prints © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London

Francesca Woodman, “Untitled," c. 1976, 4 7/8 x 5 1/8 in. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy Elton John and David Furnish Collection. © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London

NOW ON VIEW: Francesca Woodman in “Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection” and “The ‘70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography,” 2024

This fall, check out two group exhibitions showcasing works by Francesca Woodman. Known for her performative approach to photography, Woodman stages the female body and intervenes in the environment to create narratives rich in metaphor.

Francesca Woodman. "Untitled," c. 1975-78, 9 1/2 x 12 1/4 in. (24.13 x 31.12 cm). Gelatin silver print © Woodman Family Foundation / VISDA, Copenhagen.

OPENING October 11: "OCEAN," Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark, 2024

This exhibition delves into the depths where imagination meets reality, considering ways the sea has been a source of adventure and destruction throughout history.

L to R: 1: Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, c. 1977-78. Gelatin silver print. 5 11/16 x 5 13/16 in. / 2: Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, 1979, Chromogenic print. 3 3/8 x 3 1/2 in. / 4: Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, 1979, Chromogenic print. 3 3/8 x 3 1/2 in. / 6: Francesca Woodman. “House #4”, 1976, from the "House" series. Gelatin silver print. 5 11/16 x 5 3/4 in. / 9: Francesca Woodman. “Untitled”, 1979. Chromogenic print. 3 5/16 x 3 1/2 in. / 3, 5, 7, 8, 10: Gordon Matta-Clark. “Bingo”, 1974. Building fragments: painted wood, metal, plaster, and glass, three sections. All photographs taken at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2024 / All Francesca Woodman artworks © Woodman Family Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Rehan Miscki, The Woodman Family Foundation's Digital Imaging and Photography Manager: STAFF PICKS

Hello, this is Rehan Miskci. I recently joined The Woodman Foundation as their Digital Imaging and Photography Manager. I’m lucky to be involved with Francesca, Betty and George Woodman’s works on a daily basis and oversee any image-based needs.

L to R: Betty, Charles, and Francesca Woodman in front of the New York World's Fair Unisphere, 1964 / Charles and Francesca Woodman in front of Thailand's pavilion, 1964 / Bird's eye view of the New York World's Fair, 1964. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.

Betty, Charles, and Francesca Woodman in front of the New York World's Fair Unisphere, 1964. Woodman Family Foundation Archives.

The Woodmans at the 1964 New York World's Fair: FROM THE ARCHIVES...

Sixty years ago, before they had traveled much of the world together, the Woodman family visited the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

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