Dorothy Iannone: Censorship And The Irrepressible Drive Toward Love And Divinity

Since the early 1960s, Dorothy Iannone (b. 1933 in Boston, lives and works in Berlin) has been actively exploring ways of representing unconditional love. Her oeuvre encompasses paintings, drawings, collages, video sculptures, audio pieces, objects, and artist's books. A narrative element grounded in literature, history and mythology, as well as in personal experiences, feelings and relationships, runs through these works. This, her first major solo exhibition in Switzerland, retrospectively sheds light on Dorothy Iannone's work, starting with her artist's book The Story Of Bern, which she created in 1969 in response to the censorship of her artworks. Since the 1960s, the authenticity and originality of the artist's work has contributed to openness about sexuality and the strengthening of female autonomy. When bringing her works to the public, she manifests keen understanding in handling subject matter that remains often uncomfortable and controversial, even today.

In addition to the presentation at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Iannone's oeuvre was the subject of a 2014 retrospective at the Berlinische Galerie, Museum of Modern Art, Berlin. Her works have also been comprehensively shown in recent years at the Camden Arts Centre, London (2013) and at the New Museum, New York (2009).

Curated by Heike Munder, Director Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst

In conjunction with the exhibition, a new edition of Dorothy Iannone's artist's book Censorship And The Irrepressible Drive Toward Love And Divinity is being published by JRP|Ringier press. Essays by Maria Elena Buszek and Heike Munder augment the 2014 edition.