Eva Hesse
Born 1936 in Germany and dying a short 34 years later of Cancer Eva lived a vibrant life. Though her time with us was brief she left an impressive body of work that we might know her by.
As sculpture took its plunge into the modern world Eva Hesse was not far behind. She, a pioneer of minimalism, was a leader in pushing the definition of sculpture. Repeated, simplistic designs and new materials are her trademark.
Grand sculptures had the stereotypes connected with that of edifices. Large, impending, masculine forms defined the great sculptures of the past, but Eva turned that on its head.
Much of her work is composed of newly engineered materials, plastics, such as latex. Also Eva utilized string quite a bit in her work. Her unique materials allowed her to create sculpture that stretched, and encompassed much more than previous sculpture. It was quite possible for her to use a small amount of material and fill a large space.
Particularly, the originality that she displays in her work is why she is remembered. Never before had a sculpture looked so light yet monstrous, or simple in design.
The shape and design of her sculpture forces us to redefine what sculpture is.
