Painter Heilmann Muses on Acid-Surfing Postmodernism

By the time painter Mary Heilmann finished taking questions from her audience at the Carpenter Center on Feb. 22, students felt comfortable enough to approach the podium and discuss a wide array of topics, all the way to the songs she had selected for her presentation.

Heilmann—standing beneath projections of paintings inspired by California’s beaches, “The Simpsons,” and an album cover by The Drifters—did her part to demystify the world of postmodern art for those who asked.

Speaking about her personal experiences during the psychedelic 1970’s as well as her evolution from minimalism to a postmodern version of abstract expressionism, Heilmann emphasized her connection to both high and low culture.

“I started out as a sort of a primary structure, minimal type of artist, and as the years went along, I started to be much more free with my gesture and with my hand,” she said. “In some of the work that I am doing now, the gesture is the subject of the work.”

Her eclectic social awareness manifests itself in works of painting, sculpture, and decorative art that represent a consistent use of geometric construction and bold colors. Heilmann’s work shows a remarkable stylistic consistency, though Heilmann is careful to discount the importance of chronology when discussing her work.

For instance, the 67-year-old New Yorker still creates work that evokes the free spirit of art in the 1960’s—as evidenced in 2005’s “Surfing on Acid,” a painting dominated by red, green, and yellow oozing over a hot pink background that recalls the color fields of Ellsworth Kelley and Mark Rothko.

Though Heilmann identifies with the abstract expressionist movement, she prefers to see herself as offering a “postmodern look” that allows her to convey emotion more directly. She says that her work is “like meditating.”

Heilmann’s relaxed demeanor enabled students and community members to examine her method.

“For students going through the creative process themselves, it’s nice to hear from professional artists upfront,” said Akash Goel ’07, who attended the event and who is also a Crimson editor.

Heilmann said the ability to impart knowledge to young artists invigorates her.

“What always went along with the work, all through my whole life, even now, is teaching at the same time,” she said.

Sabrina Chou ’09, also at the lecture, shared enthusiasm about Heilmann’s ability to work in many media.

“I thought that the fluidity and intensity of her work was really interesting,” Chou commented.

Part of Heilmann’s current work involves creating decorative art in her Long Island studio and inviting people to view the art in the space that inspired it. “My classmates and I were joking that we would love to go to her house,” Chou said.

Heilmann seemed especially accessible to young artists like Chou because she discussed Gordon Matta-Clark in one breath and Metallica in the next.

“High culture and popular culture are kind of evening out, so that it’s pretty much all the same,” Heilmann said, though she admits that “some [culture] is better than others.”