Description

My first encounter with Judy Pfaff was a near-disaster. . . the first thing she did was to chop holes into three of the gallery's walls, walls we had labored long and hard to get perfectly angled, smooth and pristine. We stood by, beside ourselves, silent. IRVING SANDLER, ON JUDY PFAFF'S 1974 EXHIBITION ARTISTS SPACE, NEW YORK CITY For thirty years, Judy Pfaff's irreverent, idiosyncratic installations have challenged expectations to produce an art of great originality and strong emotional impact. In this compelling monograph, the artist's unusual choice of materials, spontaneous approach, and vast creative energy invites readers into her world of being and becoming. Richly illustrated and documented, this book offers the first thorough look at the career of this influential artist who helped bring revolutionary liveliness to the walls and spaces of galleries and museums. Originating in a highly successful exhibition at the Elvehjem Museum of Art, this engaging treatment of Pfaff's work expands to contain a comprehensive essay by Irving Sandler, the curator responsible for Pfaff's first gallery show in New York, as well as a complete exhibition history and extensive bibliography.