Tying knots: Françoise Grossen's sculptural ropes on show at Blum & Poe

A new exhibition at Blum & Poe gallery in New York marks Françoise Grossen's first survey in the United States. Pictured here, 'Five Rivers,' 1974, made from dyed manila.
A new exhibition at Blum & Poe gallery in New York marks Françoise Grossen's first survey in the United States. Pictured here, 'Five Rivers,' 1974, made from dyed manila.
(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

Of the many artistic experiments carried out in the 1960s, one saw sculptors exploring serial repetition. Judd had his boxes, Flavin his fluorescent lights, and Chamberlain his crumpled cars. For Françoise Grossen, a Swiss-born, UCLA-trained sculptor, the medium was knotted rope. Though she has pieces in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the State Hermitage Museum, her work long remained on the margins of art history, often misunderstood as craft.

A new exhibition at Blum & Poe gallery in New York marks Grossen's first survey in the United States, and reinforces the designation of her work as sculpture. The show includes 11 pieces from 1967 to 1991, providing an unprecedented look at her oeuvre. They are arrayed - some hang, some rest on podiums - in different rooms of the townhouse gallery.

'The sculptural quality of her work comes from the impact of gravity,' explains Jenelle Porter, a curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA). It was at the Porter's 'Fiber: Sculpture 1960-Present' show at the ICA that Blum & Poe senior director Matt Bangser first saw Grossen's piece 'Inchworm I' and set to work on putting together his gallery's current show. '

For Grossen, the designation as sculpture is critical. She says, 'For me, it is absolutely important that it be understood as sculpture.' The fact that she uses ropes and knots is secondary. As she put it, 'I do all the work with the rope so that all that remains is shape.'

The exhibition comprises 11 pieces of her sculptural experiment of knotted ropes from 1967 to 1991.Left: 'Metamorphosis IV (4),' 1987-1990, dyed and painted manila, plaster and acrylic paint.

The exhibition comprises 11 pieces of her sculptural experiment of knotted ropes from 1967 to 1991.Left: 'Metamorphosis IV (4),' 1987-1990, dyed and painted manila, plaster and acrylic paint.

(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

Left: 'Metamorphosis IV (2),' 1987-1990. Right: 'Metamorphosis IV (7),' 1987-1990. Both of these are made of dyed and painted manila, plaster and acrylic paint.

Left: 'Metamorphosis IV (2),' 1987-1990. Right: 'Metamorphosis IV (7),' 1987-1990. Both of these are made of dyed and painted manila, plaster and acrylic paint.

(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

They are arrayed - some hang, some rest on podiums - in different rooms of the townhouse gallery. Pictured: 'Sisyphe,' 1974, dyed and natural manila.

They are arrayed - some hang, some rest on podiums - in different rooms of the townhouse gallery. Pictured: 'Sisyphe,' 1974, dyed and natural manila.

(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

Left: 'Study for Embarcadero,' 1970, natural manila. Right: 'Untitled (Purple),' 1981, cotton piping cord and dyed manila

Left: 'Study for Embarcadero,' 1970, natural manila. Right: 'Untitled (Purple),' 1981, cotton piping cord and dyed manila

(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

Left: 'Euphrosyne,' 1991 linen and black tape. Right: 'Swan,' 1967, undyed sisal; double half stitch.

Left: 'Euphrosyne,' 1991 linen and black tape. Right: 'Swan,' 1967, undyed sisal; double half stitch. 

(Image credit: Genevieve Hanson)

ADDRESS

Blum & Poe
19 East 66th Street
New York
NY 10065

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS

Read more
Barbara Hepworth artist
Never-before-seen Barbara Hepworth works go on show in landmark exhibition
Wooden furniture by Rio Kobayashi at JB Blunk House 2024
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk Space
artwork
Sylvie Fleury's work in dialogue with Matisse makes for a provocative exploration of the female form
sculptures of accessories
The seductive call of consumerism: Sylvie Fleury in Paris
sculptures
Helmut Lang showcases his provocative sculptures in a modernist Los Angeles home
jewellery
Sophie Buhai unveils dreamy design-led jewellery pieces for a Parisian gallery
Latest in Exhibitions & Shows
frida kahlo
A major Frida Kahlo exhibition is coming to the Tate Modern next year
art works
Don’t miss these five artists at Art Basel Hong Kong
ai weiwei
Ai Weiwei's major retrospective in Seattle is a timely and provocative exploration of human rights
grayson perry
A portrait of the artist: Sotheby’s puts Grayson Perry in the spotlight
desert
Desert X 2025 review: a new American dream grows in the Coachella Valley
cowboy
Cowboys and Queens: Jane Hilton's celebration of culture on the fringes
Latest in Feature
the toteme store in China by herzog & de meuron
Bold, geometric minimalism rules at Toteme’s new store by Herzog & de Meuron in China
zaha hadid architects future projects
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
black and white image of kitchen
‘La Cocina’: the kitchen is a chaotic melting pot of contemporary culture in Alonso Ruizpalacios’ new film
lean lui guide to hong kong
A local’s guide to Hong Kong, by photographer Lean Lui
people at watch show
What can we expect from Watches and Wonders 2025?
Perfume Genius Glory album artwork
Inside the visual universe of Perfume Genius