Yvonne Pacanovsky Bobrowicz: The Cosmic Series
Curated by Barbara Stehle, Ph.D
April 25, 2024 – June 1, 2024
Opening Reception April 25, 2024, 6 pm – 8 pm
Sapar Contemporary in TriBeCa.We
9 N Moore Street, NY, NY 10013
Sapar Contemporary presents the work of the late pioneering American fiber artist Yvonne Pacanovsky Bobrowicz (1928-2022). The exhibition, curated by Dr. Barbara Stehle, is focused on the artist’s luminous hand-knotted monofilament sculptures from the Cosmic Series, the artist’s final and most iconic series. The Cosmic Series was first presented at the 14th International Biennale of Textiles in Lausanne Switzerland in 1989, and later collected and exhibited by the Art Institute of Chicago and Philadelphia Museum of Art. A few works from earlier periods introduce the evolution of Bobrowicz’s practice that began with studying textiles at The Cranbrook Academy of Art under Marianne Strengell and later with Anni Albers at the Philadelphia College of Art. A remarkable weaver from her very beginnings, Bobrowicz’s final series of hanging knotted monofilament sculptures punctuated with gold leaf, linen, and metal elements stands out for its departure from architectural references. The artist frees herself from the planes of walls and floors, offering her work the power of interacting with open space and light. In these works the artist articulates fully her preoccupation with particle physics and Jungian psychology, her interest in energy fields, constant motion of matter, application of opposing forces and concepts, and order emerging out of chaos.
Yvonne Pacanovsky Bobrowicz (1928-2022) was an American fiber artist who explored the interconnections and continuum of natural and synthetic materials, blending opposites like light with dark, and chaos with order. Her seven-decade career began with studying textiles at The Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1947-49 under Marianne Strengell and later with Anni Albers at the Philadelphia College of Art. Early on in her career, she was influenced by the arts and crafts movements, Bauhaus, and contemporary design, designing functional textiles such as upholstery, drapery, and rugs. As a founding member of the Philadelphia Crafts Council and a member of the World Craft Council, Bobrowicz gained exposure to global weaving traditions and techniques. Bobrowicz’s art, influenced by particle physics and Jungian philosophy, aimed to encapsulate complexity within simplicity. Her sculptures, often integrating monofilament with natural linen and gold leaf, represented dynamic patterns reminiscent of cosmic energy fields. Bobrowicz has exhibited in prestigious venues like the International Textile Biennale in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her works are housed in both private and museum collections such as that of the Art Institute of Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Racine Museum of Art in Wisconsin, and the National Museum of Sweden in Stockholm. In 1996, she received the prestigious Pew Fellowship of the Arts, acknowledging her contributions to bridging craft and art. Bobrowicz continued her creative journey until her passing in 2022 at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and symbolism in contemporary sculpture.
Barbara Stehle, Ph.D. is an art historian and independent curator. She worked at the Pompidou Center in Paris before moving to the US. Stehle has given a Tedx talk about “Architecture as Human Narrative” and writes about Art, Architecture and Women’s contribution to the art historical field. She is the author of many catalog and monograph essays as well as academic and international press articles. She teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her exhibitions were reviewed in the New York Times and Art Forum amongst other publications.
