Hannah Wilke: Friendship
LaiSun Keane Gallery, Boston
February 18 - April 10, 2021
For the first time in more than 20 years, LaiSun Keane presents an exhibition of an exclusive group of works by Hannah Wilke (1940-1993) to Boston titled Hannah Wilke: Friendship. The exhibition illuminates the friendship between Hannah Wilke and Deena Axelrod.
Hannah Wilke and Deena Axelrod’s youths were informed by 60s feminism, which was foregrounded by huge social and cultural shifts. Their lives converged in many ways which impacted their family, friends and most importantly, Hannah Wilke’s art making. The works in this exhibition show how Hannah Wilke’s art and their personal lives were intertwined. Hannah Wilke’s art WAS very much her life and it seeps into every aspect, be it through friends and family members or famous lovers.
A pertinent example of the Deena Axelrod’s connection to Hannah Wilke’s work is Bar Mitzvah, 1985 which was produced by repurposing Mayan Axelrod’s Bar Mitzvah invitation into her famous chewing gum artwork. Notably, in a beautiful gesture, Hannah Wilke re-gifted the work to Mayan Axelrod hence making it a forever memento for the bond between her and the Axelrod family.
Together with the exhibition, is a catalogue essay by Anya Ventura who conducted a lengthly interview with Mayan Axelrod for her piece. In her essay, she discussed the importance of the women’s friendship with tender anecdotes. This allows us to see a side of Hannah Wilke in a deeply personal and meaningful way. It is undeniable that Hannah Wilke was very much a formidable force but she had a strong support system in this friendship. Deena Axelrod was there all along, to inspire, to support and to comfort until Hannah Wilke’s premature death at 52.
This solo exhibition in Boston is the first since her group show at the Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, in 1996. Her one and only solo exhibition in Boston was at the now defunct Genovese Gallery in 1990.
LAISUNE KEANE
460C Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118
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