Eva Hesse

German, 1936 – 1970, active United States

Explore Selected Works

A long, rectangular strip of yellowed painted fabric is draped over a horizontal wooden rod that hangs from the ceiling in this sculptural piece. The dowel is perpendicular to the wall so juts into the gallery space. In this photograph, we are almost in front of the piece, near the wall to look onto one of the long sides. The cheesecloth hangs straight down either side of the dowel so it is longer in the back, and the ends do not touch. An uneven application of latex paint on most of the fabric gives the work a rubbery appearance, and causes some variation in the surface to create shiny areas. The loose weave of the cheesecloth is visible at the ends where the fabric was not painted. The cloth and dowel seem to float in midair because the filament from which the rod hangs is invisible in this photograph.
Eva Hesse, Test Piece for "Contingent", 1969, latex over cheesecloth, Gift of the Collectors Committee, 1996.116.1

Test Piece for "Contingent"

Eva Hesse · 1969 · latex over cheesecloth ·  Accession ID  1996.116.1

Eva Hesse, Untitled, 1967, ink on graph paper, Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection, 2022.188.1

Untitled

Eva Hesse · 1967 · ink on graph paper ·  Accession ID  2022.188.1

Eva Hesse, Untitled, 1964, watercolor, gouache, graphite, felt-tip pen, ink, and collage on wove paper, Gift of Werner H. and Sarah-Ann Kramarsky, 1998.11.9

Untitled

Eva Hesse · 1964 · watercolor, gouache, graphite, felt-tip pen, ink, and collage on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1998.11.9

Eva Hesse, Untitled, 1961, watercolor, brush and black ink, and blue felt-tip pen on wove paper, Gift of Werner H. and Sarah-Ann Kramarsky, 1998.11.8

Untitled

Eva Hesse · 1961 · watercolor, brush and black ink, and blue felt-tip pen on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1998.11.8

Eva Hesse, No title, 1958, aquatint and etching on wove paper, Avalon Fund and Gerald Cerny Fund, 2020.7.1

No title

Eva Hesse · 1958 · aquatint and etching on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2020.7.1

Eva Hesse, No title, 1957/1958, sugarlift etching, Avalon Fund and Gerald Cerny Fund, 2020.7.2

No title

Eva Hesse · 1957/1958 · sugarlift etching ·  Accession ID  2020.7.2

Eva Hesse, Subway, 1954, lithograph in black on wove paper, Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams, 2008.115.2477

Subway

Eva Hesse · 1954 · lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  2008.115.2477