JUDY CHICAGO
ReViewing PowerPlay


June 29 – August 11, 2012

Opening reception: Friday, July 6, 5:00-7:00 PM


David Richard Gallery, LLC
544 South Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
p 505-983-9555 | f 505-983-1284
www.DavidRichardGallery.com


David Richard Gallery is pleased to present ReViewing PowerPlay, a solo exhibition that re-presents in a contemporary context Judy Chicago’s PowerPlay (circa 1982-1986) series that was first exhibited in New York in 1986.

The series PowerPlay, consisting of paintings, drawings, weavings, bronze reliefs and cast paper, features the male figure, which was very different and a first for Chicago. The work is heroic, larger than life-sized, and rooted in Italian Renaissance painting as it focuses on the male nude as the allegorical erotic subject. PowerPlay is one of Chicago’s lesser-known and probably most misunderstood bodies of work. The essence of the art addresses the gender construct of masculinity and specifically, “how man, as a category, achieves coherence and significance only in and through its self-repression of qualities it has devalued as female,” according to writer, historian and activist, Dr. Jonathan D. Katz. We learn in this new presentation, with the help of Dr. Katz, that PowerPlay was indeed a seminal body of work and misunderstood due to its timing. The art world and social politics had transitioned from protest-based art-making practices—to provoke social awareness and change—to the more subtle use of irony in the 1980s. However, we now realize that PowerPlay was more conceptual and complex in its approach than initially thought and foundational for many other feminist artists who use irony and appropriation in their art practices.

Judy Chicago is an artist, writer, educator, collaborator and feminist who is not afraid to explore every artistic medium and communication device to speak on the behalf of and create opportunities for hearing women’s voices in the arts. Her multimedia artmaking practice has spanned over 50 years and included painting, drawing, sculpting and performing, using canvas, acrylic, watercolor, glass, bronze, photography and fireworks to name but a few media. Her intellectual impact influences the art world as well as numerous social, political and academic causes. Internationally recognized as a pioneer and defender of the rights of women and anyone else who feels powerless against those with power, she has received much critical acclaim for her artwork, writing and educational efforts with numerous reviews, publications, awards and honorary degrees.  Chicago is best known for the Womanhouse project created with Miriam Schapiro in the 1970s, The Dinner Party, 1974-79, Birth Project, 1980-85, Powerplay series, 1982-87, Holocaust Project, 1985-93 and her most recent work comprised of cast glass hands and heads.

David Richard Gallery is located in the Santa Fe Railyard Arts District and specializes in post-war abstract art including Abstract Expressionism, Color Field, geometric, hard-edged, Op, Pop, Minimalism and conceptualism in a variety of media. Featuring both historic and contemporary artwork, the gallery represents many established artists who were part of important art historical movements and tendencies that occurred during the 1950s through the 1980s on both the east and west coasts. The gallery also represents artist estates, emerging artists and offers secondary market works.

Associated Artist

• Judy Chicago

Associated Exhibitions

• JUDY CHICAGO ReViewing PowerPlay
  June 29, 2012 - August 11, 2012
  MORE INFO

Associated News

• May 14, 2015
  Press Release - Judy Chicago "Heads Up"


• December 1, 2014
  Judy Chicago Dialogue Portal Part 2 launched Dec. 1
  Penn State, 12/01/2014
  Catherine Grigor
  
  


• October 30, 2014
  History Was Impetus, But It's Future Work That Drives Judy Chicago
  


• October 26, 2014
  Invitations on the Journey: Wisdom from Elders
  Patheos, 10/27/2014
  Elizabeth Nordquist
  
  


• October 23, 2014
  "Judy Chicago" at Denver's RedLine honors great American troublemaker
  The Denver Post, 10/23/2014
  Ray Mark Rinaldi
  
  


• July 24, 2014
  Santa Fe Retreat: Judy Chicago
  Lofty Ambitions Blog, 07/23/2014
  


• July 7, 2014
  Heads Up! New Works by Judy Chicago
  Artsy.net, 07/07/2014
  
  


• May 22, 2014
  Judy Chicago: Early Work at the Brooklyn Museum
  NYArts Magazine, 05/22/2014
  Anni Irish
  
  


• April 23, 2014
  Judy Chicago at the Brooklyn Museum and Environs
  Paradigm Shift, 04/23/2014
  Heather Saunders
  


• April 23, 2014
  Judy Chicago Proves She's About More Than Vagina Plates at Brooklyn Museum Show
  The Village Voice, 04/23/2014
  Lilly Lampe
  
  


• April 10, 2014
  The Breakfast That Preceded ‘The Dinner Party’ ‘Chicago in L.A.’ Focuses on Judy Chicago’s Early Work
  The New York Times, 04/10/2014
  Ken Johnson
  
  


• March 28, 2014
  Judy Chicago Celebrates 75th Birthday


• March 28, 2014
  Judy Chicago
  ArtForum, 03/28/2014
  Paige Bradley
  
  


• March 6, 2014
  Chicago on Chicago
  Harvard Gazette, 03/05/2014
  Valerie Vande Panne
  
  


• January 18, 2014
  Can Judy Chicago make D.C. her sister city?
  The Washington Post, 01/18/2014
  Philip Kennicott
  
  


• March 1, 2013
  WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ARTISTS: CELEBRATING WHM WITH JUDY CHICAGO AS THE KING OF HEARTS
  Huffington Post, 03/01/2013
  
  


• February 16, 2013
  JUDY CHICAGO
  Woven and Stitched
  February 15 – March 23, 2013
  
  Gallery Lectures and Discussions on Tapestries and Textiles:
  Saturday, February 23, 2:00—4:00pm


• August 30, 2012
  PUSSYRIOT: WOMEN STILL A POTENT FORCE, SAYS FEMINIST ART FOUNDER JUDY CHICAGO
  International Business Times, 08/30/2012
  Gianluca Mezzofiore
  
  


• August 20, 2012
  
  A SERIES OF JUDY CHICAGO EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS IN THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1985
  ArtDaily.org, 08/20/2012
  


• August 8, 2012
  Judy Chicago: Reviewing Powerplay
  ArtInfo.com, 08/08/2012
  
  


• August 1, 2012
  
  JUDY CHICAGO: REVIEWING POWERPLAY
  THE Magazine, August 2012
  Susan Wilder
  
  


• July 12, 2012
  Interrogating Heroic-Ness – and Judy Chicago’s Cultural Powers
  Adobe Airstream, 07/12/2012
  Ellen Berkovitch
  
  


• June 16, 2012
  Press Release - Judy Chicago "ReViewing PowerPlay"


• March 3, 2012
  THE CROCKER ART MUSEUM OPENS A SURVEY OF GROUNDBREAKING ARTIST JUDY CHICAGO
  Art Knowledge News, 03/03/2012
  
  


• February 23, 2012
  THE INAUGURAL PALM SPRINGS FINE ART FAIR FEATURES MORE THAN 2,000 POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY WORKS
  Art Knowledge News, 02/15/2012
  
  


• February 5, 2012
  Press Release - Judy Chicago "Material Girl"


• December 12, 2011
  JUDY CHICAGO TO RECEIVE THE PALM SPRINGS FINE ART FAIR'S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
  Visual Art Source, 12/12/2011
  
  


• October 30, 2011
  Q&A: JUDY CHICAGO
  Los Angeles Times, 10/30/2011
  Jori Finkel
  
  


• October 26, 2011
  JUDY CHICAGO'S UPCOMING DISAPPEARING ENVIRONMENTS: HOW DO YOU MAKE ART OUT OF GIGANTIC PYRAMIDS OF DRY ICE? LA Weekly, 10/26/2011
  
  


• June 20, 2011
  Press Release - Artist Judy Chicago Is Now Represented by David Richard Contemporary