Label Text
In the 1970s, Graves became fascinated with images of space taken by orbiting satellites, then a new technology. Inspired by maps created by the Lunar Orbiter program at NASA, which used these satellites to scout for possible landing sites on the moon, she reimagined topographical maps of the lunar surface as the basis for her abstract paintings. Through this practice, Graves considers how we assign meaning to visual information, as a map is already a form of abstraction in which symbols, lines, and colors are used to represent geographic information.
Exhibition History"Nancy Graves: A Survey 1969/1980" Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, N.Y., May 3 - June 15, 1980, (circulated to: Akron Art Institute, Ohio, July 5 - Aug. 31, 1980; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Sept. 20 - Oct. 26, 1980; Brooks Memorial Art Gallery, Memphis, Nov. 15, 1980 - Jan. 6, 1981; Neuberger Museum, State University of New York, Purchase, Jan. 25 - Mar. 15, 1981; Des Moines Art Center, Mar. 30 - May 3, 1981; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, May 31 - July 12, 1981)
"Strata: Nancy Graves, Eva Hesse, Michelle Stuart, Jackie Windsor," The Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Oct. 9 - Nov. 6, 1977
"Nancy Graves," La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, CA, Aug. 25 - Oct. 7, 1973, (Circulated to: Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Oct. 18 - Nov. 29, 1973)
"1973 Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary American Painting and Sculpture, Whitney Museum of American Art, N. Y., Jan. 10 - Mar. 18, 1973
Published ReferencesDMAC BULLETIN, May/June 1973, cover ill.
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.77 & 78, b/w ill. pl.55, p.77
Jay Belloli, "Introduction," in "Nancy Graves," La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, CA, 1973, exh. cat. no.7, color ill. p.6 (reproduction of work in unfinished state)
Lucy R. Lippard, "Nancy Graves," in "Strata: Graves, Hesse, Stuart, Winsor," Vancouver Art Gallery, British Columbia, Canada, 1977, exh. cat. color ill. p.5 (faded areas restored by artist)
"Nancy Graves," ART INTERNATIONAL, Nov. 15, 1974, ref. p.62, ill. p.32
Linda Cathcare, Intro., "Nancy Graves: A Survey 1969/1980," Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY, 1980, exh. cat. no.18, ref. p.22, color ill. p.54
John I. H. Baur, "Foreward," in "1973 Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary American Art," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1973, exh. cat. ref. p.10, ill. n. p.
Lucy R. Lippard, "Four Contemporary Artists Go 'Back to Nature:" A New Landscape Art," MS, Apr. 1977, pp.68, 72 & 73, ill. p.72
"Exchanges I," Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY, 1979, exh. cat. n. p., ill.
Avis Berman, "Nancy Graves' New Age of Bronze," ARTNEWS, Feb. 1986, pp.85 & 63
Richard Channin, "Nancy Graves: Map Paintings," ART INTERNATIONAL: THE LUGANO REVIEW, Nov. 1974, ref. pp.18 & 62
Exhibition History"Nancy Graves: A Survey 1969/1980" Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, N.Y., May 3 - June 15, 1980, (circulated to: Akron Art Institute, Ohio, July 5 - Aug. 31, 1980; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Sept. 20 - Oct. 26, 1980; Brooks Memorial Art Gallery, Memphis, Nov. 15, 1980 - Jan. 6, 1981; Neuberger Museum, State University of New York, Purchase, Jan. 25 - Mar. 15, 1981; Des Moines Art Center, Mar. 30 - May 3, 1981; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, May 31 - July 12, 1981)
"Strata: Nancy Graves, Eva Hesse, Michelle Stuart, Jackie Windsor," The Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Oct. 9 - Nov. 6, 1977
"Nancy Graves," La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, CA, Aug. 25 - Oct. 7, 1973, (Circulated to: Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Oct. 18 - Nov. 29, 1973)
"1973 Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary American Painting and Sculpture, Whitney Museum of American Art, N. Y., Jan. 10 - Mar. 18, 1973
Published ReferencesDMAC BULLETIN, May/June 1973, cover ill.
DES MOINES ART CENTER: SELECTED PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND WORKS ON PAPER, Des Moines Art Center, 1985, ref. pp.77 & 78, b/w ill. pl.55, p.77
Jay Belloli, "Introduction," in "Nancy Graves," La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, CA, 1973, exh. cat. no.7, color ill. p.6 (reproduction of work in unfinished state)
Lucy R. Lippard, "Nancy Graves," in "Strata: Graves, Hesse, Stuart, Winsor," Vancouver Art Gallery, British Columbia, Canada, 1977, exh. cat. color ill. p.5 (faded areas restored by artist)
"Nancy Graves," ART INTERNATIONAL, Nov. 15, 1974, ref. p.62, ill. p.32
Linda Cathcare, Intro., "Nancy Graves: A Survey 1969/1980," Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY, 1980, exh. cat. no.18, ref. p.22, color ill. p.54
John I. H. Baur, "Foreward," in "1973 Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary American Art," Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1973, exh. cat. ref. p.10, ill. n. p.
Lucy R. Lippard, "Four Contemporary Artists Go 'Back to Nature:" A New Landscape Art," MS, Apr. 1977, pp.68, 72 & 73, ill. p.72
"Exchanges I," Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY, 1979, exh. cat. n. p., ill.
Avis Berman, "Nancy Graves' New Age of Bronze," ARTNEWS, Feb. 1986, pp.85 & 63
Richard Channin, "Nancy Graves: Map Paintings," ART INTERNATIONAL: THE LUGANO REVIEW, Nov. 1974, ref. pp.18 & 62
DimensionsOverall: 72 × 96 in. (182.9 × 243.8 cm)
Accession Number 1973.2
Classificationspainting
CopyrightARS
InscriptionsAcrylic 6 x 8' 1972 - Graves "Montes Apenninus Region of the Moon" (verso u,c canvas)
ProvenanceArtist; (Janie C. Lee Gallery, Dallas, TX); Jay H. and Beverly B. Perry Foundation, Inc., Scarsdale, New York; Des Moines Art Center [gift of the previous, 1973]
