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Martha Rosler: Irrespective

Nov. 2, 2018 – Mar. 3, 2019

This survey exhibition devoted to the influential American artist Martha Rosler showcases her five decades-long practice that continues to evolve and respond to the shifting contours of political life.

“Feminism is a viewpoint that demands a rethinking of all structural relations in society. Feminism is powerful because it is true.”
—martha rosler

Martha Rosler is considered one of the strongest and most resolute artistic voices of her generation. She skillfully employs diverse materials to address pressing matters of her time, including war, gender roles, gentrification, inequality, and labor. From her feminist photomontages of the 1960s and 1970s to her large-scale installations, Rosler’s vital work reflects an enduring and passionate vision.

Martha Rosler: Irrespective showcases both well-known and rarely seen selections from more than five decades of work. Installations, photographic series, sculpture, and video represent a practice continually evolving and reacting to the shifting contours of political life. Throughout, Rosler’s work has been characterized by intellectual rigor and sharp wit, along with a sense of urgency directed at social and political issues that remain as relevant and immediate as when they first emerged.

#MarthaRosler

 

In the Press
“Martha Rosler Isn’t Done Making Protest Art”
— The New York Times

“remarkably fresh, thoughtfully curated”
— Art in America

Martha Rosler: Irrespective is organized by Darsie Alexander, Susan and Elihu Rose Chief Curator, with Shira Backer, Leon Levy Assistant Curator, The Jewish Museum, in close collaboration with the artist and her studio. The exhibition is designed by New Affiliates (Jaffer Kolb, Ivi Diamantopoulou).

Martha Rosler: Irrespective is made possible by the Goldie and David Blanksteen Foundation, Charlotte Feng Ford, Barbara Lee Family Foundation, and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Additional support is provided through the Melva Bucksbaum Fund for Contemporary Art, Barbara Horowitz Contemporary Art Fund, the Dorot Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Horace W. Goldsmith Exhibitions Endowment, Susan and Elihu Rose, the Leon Levy Foundation, and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.

The Mobile Tour is made possible by:

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A woman in a futuristic spacesuit with a transparent bubble helmet gazes ahead while holding a small espresso cup mid-pour in a surreal, outer space-like setting filled with colorful reflections and stars.

Martha Rosler, Frankfurt, 2004, from In the Place of the Public: Airport Series. Color photograph. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

Exhibition highlights

  • Surreal collage of a cargo ship loaded with containers, each displaying close-up images of women's faces and eyes, with workers appearing to load and unload them using cranes.

    Martha Rosler, Cargo Cult (large detail), from the series Body Beautiful, or Beauty Knows No Pain, c. 1966—72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • Grainy black-and-white still image of a woman in a kitchen, holding a knife and facing the camera, with a stove, refrigerator, and bookshelf in the background.

    Martha Rosler, Still from Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975. Single-channel video with sound, 6 min., 33 sec. Artwork © Martha Rosler

  • Surreal digital collage showing two women in satin dresses taking selfies with flip phones inside a modern living room, while a fiery riot rages outside and figures sit slumped in the background, creating a stark contrast between chaos and detachment.

    Martha Rosler, Photo-Op, 2004, from the series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, New Series. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • Surreal collage featuring a woman in a dress using a vacuum cleaner to pull back patterned curtains, revealing a black-and-white wartime trench scene with soldiers, contrasting domesticity with the harsh reality of war.

    Martha Rosler, Cleaning the Drapes, from the series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, c. 1967—72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • Surreal collage of a pristine white kitchen with bright red and orange accents, where two soldiers in combat gear appear to search the room, creating a jarring contrast between domestic calm and military intrusion.

    Martha Rosler, Red Stripe Kitchen, from the series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, c. 1967—72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • Collaged fashion advertisement featuring a woman posing at the beach in a blue outfit, overlaid with a surreal image of another nude female form replacing her midsection, juxtaposed with the bold headline:

    Martha Rosler, Isn't it Nice..., or Baby Dolls, from the series Body Beautiful, or Beauty Knows No Pain, c. 1967—72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • A nearly empty airport terminal with rows of black chairs on red carpet, looking out through large windows at two parked airplanes on a snow-covered tarmac; a lone passenger sits quietly near the window.

    Martha Rosler, Minneapolis, 1991, from the series In the Place of the Public: Airport Series, 1983–ongoing, color print. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • A surreal collage of a black-and-white mother and child in a vibrant jungle; the child swings while surrounded by oversized flowers, lush greenery, and birds, with the mother’s and child’s heads replaced by blossoms.

    Martha Rosler, Motherhood Fantasy, from the series Body Beautiful, or Beauty Knows No Pain, c. 1966–72. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • A vintage-style collage of a smiling woman vacuuming a hallway decorated with bold modern art posters, striped wallpaper, and a vivid red ceiling with round hanging lights.

    Martha Rosler, Vacuuming Pop Art, or Woman with Vacuum, from the series Body Beautiful, or Beauty Knows No Pain, c. 1966–72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • A woman in a yellow gown stands smiling in an opulent, yellow-toned living room with antique furniture, ornate candelabras, and a white fireplace topped with a framed black-and-white portrait.

    Martha Rosler, First Lady (Pat Nixon), from the series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, c. 1967—72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • A close-up of a woman's face with manicured nails as she applies makeup to her eyelid; over her eye is a small black-and-white photo of armed men and a distressed woman, creating a stark contrast between beauty and conflict.

    Martha Rosler, Makeup/Hands Up, from the series House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, c. 1967–72. Photomontage. Artwork © Martha Rosler; image courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

  • Gallery installation featuring a large central artwork showing a photomontage of shipping containers stacked on a cargo ship, each container displaying close-up images of women's faces and eyes. The surrounding gallery walls display additional photographic artworks in black frames.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • Art installation of a long dining table set with formal place settings, floral centerpiece, and golden candelabras, surrounded by wooden chairs with cream cushions. Behind the table, two food-related images are projected on the wall, and a small CRT monitor displaying a food scene is placed on the table's right end. The gallery setting includes other framed artworks on the walls.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • Contemporary art gallery with a large, blue prosthetic leg hanging from the ceiling on the left and a framed photo collage on the right wall showing a woman in a dress walking past a military scene. Through the doorway, suspended transparent panels with printed text and additional video and photographic artworks are visible in an adjacent gallery room.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • Art exhibition corner labeled “GLOBAL TASTE: a meal in three courses” features three built-in screens displaying video content. A visitor in red pants watches one of the screens. On the adjacent wall, framed newspaper-style posters titled “THE OPPORTUNITY FOR WORLD BRANDS” are displayed, discussing advertising and globalization.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • Art installation of women’s clothing and intimate wear displayed on a gallery wall, including bras, nightgowns, and shapewear arranged on pillows, mannequins, and hangers. A white padded sleeping bag, a child-sized mannequin in a stroller, and a soft sculpture on the floor accompany the wall display. A text panel is visible on the right side.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • Close-up view of a transparent installation panel layered with overlapping English and German text in various sizes and fonts. Phrases like “Detachment and ‘equanimity’ in view of ‘unbearable tragedy’ can indeed be ‘terrifying’” and “in the debates about the war in Vietnam” are visible. Citations at the bottom reference works by Hannah Arendt and others. The background shows a faint gallery space with white walls and minimal lighting.

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

  • A contemporary art gallery installation featuring a white wall with mounted digital screens displaying various images, including a woman in a space helmet and airport scenes. Phrases and poetic text fragments such as

    Installation view of the exhibition Martha Rosler: Irrespective, November 2, 2018 - March 3, 2019, The Jewish Museum, NY. Photo by: Jason Mandella

Audio

The audio guide is made possible by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Download the audio guide transcript.

The Jewish Museum · Martha Rosler: Irrespective