Maria Lassnig: Painting the Body

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aEAH 4814 – Theories in Contemporary art – Christina BrungardtMaria Lassnig: Painting the BodyResearch Paper and Abstract

Alexandria Springer4/5/2014

This paper will address Maria Lassnig’s approach to depicting the body and how her technique formulates what is known as feminist views on identity. I will begin by addressing the origin of her training and how the styles developed in Austria in this time closely relate to some of the expressionist aspects of her work. I will discuss how the emerging interest in depicting the internal subconscious in these artists, presents itself in her work and influences how she depicts the human figure. She has often been discussed about in the issues of identity and feminism. Great deals of her works have to do with self-portraits and depicting the inner subconscious. This paper will look at how Maria Lassnig depicts the body using this method and how the presentation of the nude female figure relates to feminist views. At the end of this paper one will understand her contextual influences creating an interest internal identity and also how her methods of depicting such have put her in the feminist category.

Maria Lassnig is a contemporary artist who works objectively in the medium of paint, but subjectively in the medium of the subconscious. She was born in Austria in 1919 where she would eventually attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna for her training; later she continued schooling in New York. She has been an established artist for many years but now works within current theories of identity and does this so by representing the body. This paper will look at her method of depicting the body and how it stems from her Austrian roots alongside touching on feminism theory as well.First one must formally analyze her work. Lassnig’s paintings are consistently incredibly colorful; even if the work only utilized one color, the artist chose a vibrant one. Another important thing to note formally is her use of abstraction. Her use of color and line help her in her work to abstract the image she depicts. Her use of her body to create grand strokes and bold outlines is a characteristic of actionism which places her methods right at the forefront.[endnoteRef:1] However, her methods also have a deeper connotation. Aside from the actionist gestural technique, the other aspect to it is her presence. Actionists use the body as a material, depicting its movement and presence, but also depicting the presence of the subconscious artist whilst making these gestures. [endnoteRef:2]This is where perhaps her training and roots influence her work for Lassnig takes this theory and brings it a step forward as inspiration for subject matter. The Austrian Expressionists were developing theories on expressionism and the body but also the mind. Patrick Werkner writes, “…so for the leading early Austrian expressionists, the human body was something that gives expression to the most profound existential realities.”[endnoteRef:3] In this quote, they are talking about the subconscious and how this link becomes the purest form of identity, the purest form of presence. Maria Lassnig tells us in her interview with Frieze magazine, how she takes this method and without any intentions just paints what she feels; she says, “I had to discover the pure colors of myself.”[endnoteRef:4] She is literally taking what she believes to be her truest identity and displaying it on a canvas. Lassnig’s Cheek, Brow, and Chin Sensations and her 3 Ways of Being (fig. 1 & 2) show prime examples of the ways the artist depicted her feelings and presence.One could understand how this link to the individual would result in representations of the figural form. As a result, Maria Lassnig’s prime subject matter is indeed self-portraiture with 3 x Self-Portrait as a great example (fig. 3.) He we can see that Lassnig depicted for us three very different figures, each evoking a certain feeling, emotion, or awareness of the artist. She depicted, even further, her true identity. She explains in the interview once more how her subject matter should be seen as “genre” or “drastic” paintings, meant to confront you with a specific message or feeling.[endnoteRef:5] This makes sense for some of her other works where one could deduce some sort of a narrative, but what does this mean for her self-portraits? The interview goes on to use a recent work of hers, You or Me, as an example of this moment of confrontation and inner struggle (fig. 4.) Essentially, one is confronted with the subjective struggle of the artist, but also objectivity with the way she is depicted in full nudity; thus resulting in the viewer being confronted with the female nude. This reference to the classic nude was not an uncommon affair in women artists of this time. After the 60’s women became interested in politics of gender roles and created methods of depicting key issues of this movement. Marsha Meskimmon writes, “…the work relies on the paradox of woman as subject and object; viewers must at once be aware of the central figure as an object seen and as a subject…”[endnoteRef:6] Arguably this is precisely what Maria Lassnig is doing in this image. We are confronted on so many layers of the artist’s identity, but also are forced to question what it means for her as a female. It is known that in the classical tradition and until recently, the female body has primarily been depicted by men.[endnoteRef:7] Recently painting the female figure has been a common theme for feminist artists, to highlight how the artist in fact isn’t male and can make commentary on the subject as Lassnig’s example shows us. It makes sense to also address how this is also a self-portrait in the idea of subject matter. The title, You or Me, again makes reference to the presence of the artist herself and makes the viewer aware that this is her figural representation. How does this link to feminism. Feminist artists were very interested in the idea of the hetero white male normative. They were also very aware of his eye and objective gaze trained to them, toward the female body; thus resulting the common them of the afore mentioned female nude, but also in self-portraits. “Unframed” explains for us, “The self-portrait genre is an embodiment of a (gendered) body, as the image of an artist without the appendage of clothes, is the site in which I find appropriate expression: a body in action, a being preoccupied with its own recognition, not merely accepting of a ‘likeness’, even though the traditional mirror reflection is the process used.”[endnoteRef:8] This quote is perfect for understanding how feminists took traditional methods and twisted them to address a common issue, and one argue how Maria Lassnig was utilizing this method in her works.It was not a surprise to find out that Maria Lassnig has often been labeled a feminist artist for so many of the characteristics of her work line up with the movement’s ideals. However on a contradictory note, she has been in quite a few exhibitions over her career, yet all but one were solo. This group exhibition she was in was called “Wack!” This exhibition was interesting for it was a giant compilation of feminist artists and their differentiating methods. Maria Lassnig was right alongside with big feminist names like Cindy Sherman provided as an example.[endnoteRef:9] Her presence in this exhibition was contextualized with anything up to the radical artists who may have done thing like harm themselves during performance. It is important to note that the inclusion of Lassnig in this exhibition is stating that she has something in common with these artists. It is saying that her method and her use of depicting the female form is congruent with the ways these artists intend to address the same issue. But what does all of this say about identity, the identity of the artist that is? Initially in this paper Lassnig was an artist interested in depicting her subconscious, utilizing her local expressionist method. She even explains the interview how she purposely goes into her works with minimal to no intentions, letting the subconscious flow.[endnoteRef:10] However, now she is viewed as a “feminist” artist, lumping her in a giant general group with over 100 other “feminist” artists and in turn saying that she had this nonexistent intent behind her work. This is what I found interesting about Lassnig. By presenting us with her most pure self, she in turn gets a super imposed label put on her methods. This is a very interesting controversy the artist has had to address and deal with. As a result, I believe the artist is confronting the issue of identity throughout her career, but more so since the development of her link with feminism. I believe her image, You or Me, is presenting us with the question of who is really in charge. We can see where her gestural influences, “drastic” painting, and presentation of the feeling of the figure would show us her pure identity: i.e. the “Me” in the title. However, after knowing how her work has been received contextually, one can also note that the “You” and who the gun is pointed is the viewer. She is using our ingrained notion to objectify and judge the female form to catch us off guard with the absurdity of the scene. Maria Lassnig, in conclusion, uses her local patriotism to evoke the presence of herself in her art work to reach the viewer on a deeper level by making us address her identity. Yet, I believe she also uses feminist methods, not to place commentary on the issue, but to make the viewer even more aware that one is truly viewing the internal and external identity of the artist.

Maria Lassnig: Painting the Body

Endnotes and Images

Maria Lassnig: Painting the Body Bibliography