Lynda Benglis

Lynda Benglis, an acclaimed American sculptor and visual artist, has traversed a myriad of artistic mediums throughout her career, including polyurethane foam, glass, enamel, stainless steel, beeswax, and poured latex. Emerging during the Postminimal movement, Benglis challenged the established norms of painting and sculpture, venturing into uncharted territories. Her creations delve into feminist politics and self-image.

In addition to her exploration of these themes, Benglis draws inspiration from diverse cultural heritages, incorporating elements from Indian architecture, Greek statuary, and Chinese ceramics.

Biography of Lynda Benglis

Lynda Benglis, born in 1941 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA, embarked on her artistic journey at McNeese State University in her hometown. She furthered her education and passion, obtaining a BFA degree in 1964 from Newcomb College in New Orleans, which was then the women's college of Tulane University. During her academic pursuits, she focused on ceramics and painting.

Post-graduation, Benglis took a detour into teaching, spending time as a third-grade instructor at Jefferson Parish in Louisiana. In 1964, she made the pivotal move to New York, immersing herself in the vibrant art scene and encountering influential figures such as Andy Warhol, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, Eva Hesse, and Barnett Newman.

Her artistic journey continued as she pursued painting studies at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, where she crossed paths with the Scottish painter Gordon Hart, briefly becoming her first husband. Additionally, Benglis worked as an assistant to Klaus Kertess at the Bykert Gallery before transitioning to the Paula Cooper Gallery.

In 1979, she encountered her life partner, Anand Sarabhai. Throughout her career, Benglis has contributed to academia, serving as a professor or visiting artist at institutions such as the University of Rochester (1970-1972), Princeton University (1975), the University of Arizona (1982), and the School of Visual Arts (1985-1987).

Her artistic legacy is preserved in prominent collections, including The Guggenheim, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, High Museum, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, New Orleans Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Modern Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Walker Art Center, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Victoria, and others.

Challenging the Male-Dominated Discourse in Art: A Bold Feminist Statement

In a pioneering move to confront the prevailing "male ethos" within the art world, Lynda Benglis embarked on a series of magazine advertisements that skillfully satirized conventional portrayals of women. Her chosen medium, magazine advertisements, became a powerful tool for challenging established norms.

A noteworthy instance occurred in the November 1974 issue of Artforum, where Benglis fearlessly tackled stereotypes. In this iconic advertisement, she posed alongside a substantial plastic dildo, wearing only a pair of sunglasses. This audacious image served as a promotional piece for her upcoming exhibition at the Paula Cooper Gallery. By embracing and adopting the phallus, Benglis orchestrated a bold and positive affirmation of femininity's sexual and cultural potency, effectively challenging traditional gender roles in the art world.

Lynda Benglis's Art Style

Benglis's early works drew parallels with Jackson Pollock's distinctive flinging and dripping painting methods. Notably, pieces like "Fallen Painting" (1968) hinted at a potential feminist perspective, as Benglis boldly smeared Day-Glo paint across the gallery floor.

During the 1960s and 1970s, her focus intertwined with the intersection of painting and sculpture. Benglis created totem-like sculptures, elongated cylindrical structures crafted from wire mesh, cotton bunting, and plaster, eventually incorporating intricate knots by 1972. The 1970s witnessed the emergence of her Torsos series—cast aluminum shells protruding from walls—and Knots—vividly colored ribbons resembling dynamic human figures.

In a pivotal shift in 1984, water became an integral element in Benglis's sculptures. She secured a notable commission to design a fountain for the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, resulting in "The Wave of the World" (1983–84), a captivating cast bronze fountain. This marked the inception of her exploration into sculptural fountains, including notable pieces like "Chimera" (1988) and "Double Fountain, Mother and Child, For Anand" (2007).

Venturing into video as an extension of her sculptural endeavors during the 1970s, Benglis created over a dozen works between 1972 and 1977. Engaging in dialogues pertinent to the feminist movement, she produced a radical body of video work addressing issues of gender, identity, societal representations, and the construction of women and their sexuality. Her collaboration with Robert Morris led to notable videos like "Mumble" (1972) and "Exchange" (1973).