Karen Finley

Email exchange 13.05.20: NYC artist Karen Finley has accepted my Facebook friendship request after several years. Her "psychic" drawings, including one called "God Is A Woman" inspired me to draw more freely and to trust my own 'style'. It's when she draws without looking at anything, just quickly and from her head, usually with text. This work inspired my terrible God Is Een Vrouw-painting sent to Tracey Emin (and then her sending it back to me!): https://tisch.nyu.edu/art-publ...; https://www.abebooks.com/signe... Oh no (because of what it would do to my bank account), it's even for sale as a poster signed!! I would love this and might ask her if I could buy one from her directly... – SMW.


Listings connecting to the social link “Karen Finley” (136)



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02230-c2015-TwA4-DecisionsDecisions
  • Title
  • Decisions, decisions
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02209-c2015-TwA4-Serious
  • Title
  • Serious
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02220-c2015-TwA4-Punishment
  • Title
  • Punishment
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02231-c2015-TwA4-WillyNilly
  • Title
  • Willy nilly
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Abcrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02210-c2015-TwA4-Thekian
  • Title
  • Thekian
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02221-c2015-TwA4-Guilt
  • Title
  • Guilt
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.(adaptation of Fassbinder)


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02232-c2015-TwA4-Pithy
  • Title
  • Pithy
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02211-c2015-TwA4-LowStress
  • Title
  • Low stress
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02222-c2015-TwA4-WhatKindOfAnArtistAreYou?
  • Title
  • What kind of an artist are you?
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02233-c2015-TwA4-Overdramatic
  • Title
  • Overdramatic
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02212-c2015-TwA4-Boyfriend
  • Title
  • Boyfriend
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02223-c2015-TwA4-Ravaged
  • Title
  • Ravaged
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02234-c2015-TwA4-CommodificatioOfFeministArt
  • Title
  • Commodification of feminist art
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

Close



Image of Studio object

  • Catalog No.
  • 02213-c2015-TwA4-KnowsWhatHesDoing
  • Title
  • Knows what he's doing
  • Dimensions
  • 29.5 x 21
  • Materials
  • Acrylic paint on pages of Gai Pied magazine
  • Object Location
  • Physical

  • Technical Notes

The pages are yellowed and cracked with age. Dutch Curator Erik Hagoort gave SMW a few huge boxes of these French gay liberation magazines from the 80s, and SMW intuitively started painting on them. There are many more than those listed in the archive.


  • Reflection Notes

“I had to throw away a lot of these, there were also Dutch gay liberation magazines in the boxes Erik Hagoort gave me, called ‘De Verkeerde Krant’ or so, (‘van de verkeerde kant’ was a Dutch saying for a queer person) but due to storage I could not keep everything as a resource to use. There are hundreds of these painted drawings, and they get quite a good response. Paul Thek = newspaper paintings, Karen Finley = same as Paul Thek, Erik Hagoort is the partner of Dutch artist Albert van Westing and AA Bronson showed a fondness for the drawings.” – SMW.

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Image of Studio object

Photographer: Robin Wassink-Murray

  • Catalog No.
  • 00127-2009-PSP-BigPumpkinSeries-026
  • Title
  • Big Pumpkin Series
  • Dimensions
  • Variable
  • Materials
  • Live action
  • Object Location
  • Digital

  • Technical Notes

Location: Moen Island, Denmark at Frederikke Hansen’s former house.


  • Reflection Notes

“I was just reminded of interviewer Charlie Rose asking why performance artist Karen Finley (she does all kinds of things) smeared her breasts with liquid chocolate during a performance, and she answered that she also smeared her elbows with the chocolate. Carolee Schneemann wanted her elbows to have the same priority as her genitals, as her vulva, etc. and when she was in art school it was okay to paint from a nude female model and for Carolee to pose for her male co-students, but when she did a nude self portrait painting with legs up and spread then it was considered obscene.” – SMW.

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