Andrea Fraser was born on 1965 in Billings, Montana. Andrea Fraser's untitled series stems from a project she completed in 1984, which consisted of a collection of slides superimposing images of Old Masters? works with those of well known 20th century artists. Having reconstructed these images as photographs, pieces such as Untitled (de Kooning/Raphael) #1 examine the polemics of feminism, historical revisionism, and artistic authenticity. Here, traces of De Kooning's violently rendered figure scars the beatific Madonna and Child, merging the two disparate examples of the subjectification of women in art history as a Frankenstein-ish amalgamation. Printed in poster size, Fraser highlights issues of sexual commodification and image consumption.



In Andrea Fraser's Untitled (de Kooning/Raphael) #2, The Seated Madonna and De Kooning's expressionistic figure synthesise to become almost indistinguishable; the brutal modern abstraction making the cherubic icon appear charred and battle worn. Presented as a second generation photographic image, Fraser's Untitled loses the painterly detail of the original masterpieces, transforming the aura of artistic integrity to the mechanised and fetishistic language of media. Through her act of appropriation, Fraser explores the exclusive nature artistic lineage, writing her into the legacy whilst simultaneously critiquing its historical bias.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

1992

?Aren't they lovely?, University of California, Berkley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley

1991

?Welcome to the Wadsworth, MATRIX, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford

?May I Help You?, in cooperation with Allan McCollum, American Fine Arts Co., New York

1990

?Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne

1989

?Museum Highlights: A Gallery Talk, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1988

?Selling Us Ourselves, 10 on 8, New York

?Re: Placement, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, Los Angeles

1987

?303 Gallery, New York

1986

?Picture This: Films Chosen by Artists, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo

1985

?Transitional Objects, Galerie Philip Nelson, Lyon

1984

?Four Walls, Hoboken

?Opposing Force, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Buffalo

Conclusions:

Andrea Fraser's untitled series stems from a project she completed in 1984, which consisted of a collection of slides superimposing images of Old Masters? works with those of well known 20th century artists. Having reconstructed these images as photographs, pieces such as Untitled (de Kooning/Raphael) #1 examine the polemics of feminism, historical revisionism, and artistic authenticity.

What to Do Next...

If you want any information about Andrea Fraser or looking for his paintings please visit us on http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/andrea_fraser.htm