Lee Bontecou: All Freedom in Every Sense

Known for richly evocative forms that conjure biological, geological, and technological motifs, Bontecou has described “the natural world and its wonders and horrors” as a central preoccupation of her career. Among the earliest works presented are large drawings made of velvety soot and wall-mounted sculptures composed of salvaged canvas stitched to elaborate welded steel armatures. The centerpiece of the installation—on view in this building for the first time—is a recently acquired suspended sculpture that was one of the highlights of the artist’s 2004 retrospective at MoMA QNS . This large untitled mobile is composed of sections of translucent wire mesh and small porcelain orbs attached to an intricate network of wire that radiate from a central blue porcelain sphere. Made over an eighteen-year period from 1980 to 1998, it presents a galaxy of forms and represents a fulfillment of Bontecou’s longstanding desire to create art that encompasses “as much of life as possible—no barriers—no boundaries—all freedom in every sense.”