PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The Tyler School of Art at Temple University​ is presenting the work of alumna and feminist icon ​Hannah Wilke​, on view from April 26 through July 12, 2019​. ​Hannah Wilke: Sculpture in the Landscape exhibits photographs that were never printed or shown in the artist’s lifetime, including her ​Gum in Landscape series, as well as prints of her ceramic and bronze sculpture maquettes. This exhibition and publication provide a rare opportunity to experience a previously unknown body of Hannah Wilke’s work and is presented in collaboration with the Hannah Wilke Collection & Archive​, Los Angeles.

“What a thrill to see this body of work and share it with the public for the first time,” says Tyler Dean Susan E. Cahan. “Hannah Wilke is part of a lineage of extraordinary women who earned their degrees here: Barbara Chase-Riboud, Ree Morton, Louise Fishman, Paula Scher, Laurie Simmons, Lisa Yuskavage, Jennifer Packer, Doreen Garner—I could go on. It’s a legacy that’s an enormous source of pride for Tyler.”

Hannah Wilke: Sculpture in the Landscape is the result of Temple Contemporary’s unique ongoing program, “Tyler Mentors,” which develops working relationships between Tyler School of Art’s distinguished alumni and recent graduates. Having passed away in 1993 at the age of 52, Wilke’s legacy has been carried out by her estate, at the direction of Wilke’s family. For this exhibition, the Hannah Wilke Collection & Archive selected recent Tyler graduate Lauren Rosenblum (class of 2012) as an emerging scholar whose research on the history of feminist art practice and landscape were an ideal match for Wilke. Rosenblum’s research for the exhibition’s catalog essay, “Before her Landscape, a Backdrop for Hannah Wilke’s ​California Series,”​ included a trip to Los Angeles to visit Wilke’s archives and consult with Wilke’s family.

“Hannah Wilke had a vision of feminist sculpture in the landscape to restore the Feminine Principle and create gender balance,” says Marsie Scharlatt, Hannah Wilke’s sister and founder of the Hannah Wilke Collection & Archive. “Her hope was that they would create a powerful, recognizable, enduring female presence in the actual world.”

Hannah Wilke (1940-1993), the pioneering feminist conceptual artist, worked in sculpture, drawing, assemblage, photography, performance, and installation. Innovative throughout her life, Wilke is considered the first feminist artist to use vaginal imagery in her work, and her legacy continues to grow since her death. A graduate of Tyler School of Art, throughout her career Wilke taught art, gave workshops as a visiting artist, participated in panels and conferences about women’s art, and lectured extensively. Wilke taught sculpture at the School of Visual Arts in New York. As an early resident of Soho, she was one of the first artists to create studio space in a formerly industrial building. She received awards from both the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation, among others. The Hannah Wilke Collection & Archive, Los Angeles, was formed in 1999 by Wilke’s sister, Marsie Scharlatt, and her family to present Wilke’s work and preserve her legacy.