Laura Owens

Schilderijen & studies 1994 - 2006

27.05.07 - 19.08.07

‘I feel like there's a space of personal freedom for me where my art-making happens. When I go into that space, I'm completely in this world of possibility.' Laura Owens

Exhibition
From the end of May, the Bonnefantenmuseum will be exhibiting 23 paintings and 90 preliminary studies by the American painter Laura Owens (1970 Euclid, Ohio). Laura Owens succeeds in making painting a challenging adventure for both the eye and the intellect of the viewer, in a way that is seductive yet disturbing. Owens blends the traditions of art history with those of applied and naïve art and abstract themes. Instead of experiencing the art of the past as a burden, Owens manages to use the history of ‘making pictures' as a force in her work. It is the first time that work by this leading American painter has been exhibited in the Netherlands.

From the mid-nineties, Laura Owens' work opened up a new critical area of painting, which secured her a retrospective in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles at the incredibly young age of 32. Owens' virtuoso command of the profession arouses much admiration, as does her inventive appropriation of images and visual systems from all sorts of eras, categories and corners of the earth. These include 18 th -century embroidery, Chinese landscape painting, Japanese prints, Op art, Color Field painting, textile patterns, folk art and her own photography.

Owens' works seem to be made for pleasure, but they keep exploring new areas. With her interest in a broad view of visual culture and various cooperative ventures with other artists, she creates a sense of collective creativity and provides resistance to traditional ideas about heroic isolation and ego-oriented signature style.

Catalogue
The exhibition has been prepared and organised by the Kunsthalle Zürich.

An illustrated oeuvre catalogue has been published by the Kunsthalle Zürich in collaboration with JRP | Ringier. The texts are by Gloria Sutton, Rod Wengham, Beatrix Ruf and Laura Owens in conversation with colleague artists; 224 pp. ISBN 10:3-905770-11-3. € 47.
Opening
During the opening on Sunday 27 May, colleague painter Peter Doig will talk to Laura Owens about themes such as Owens' work and the position of painting against the background of developments in contemporary art. The talk will be chaired by curator Paula van den Bosch.

Focus guided tours
During the exhibition, there will be Focus guided tours (Dutch-spoken) given by curator Paula van den Bosch (3 Juni) or Dr. Guido Goossens (8 Juli & 5 August) at 15.00 p.m . The tour costs € 2.50, excluding admission to the museum. As capacity is limited (25 participants), we advise you to reserve in advance, by telephone: 043 329 0111 (Tues-Fri) or by e-mail: reservations@bonnefanten.nl .


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