Ramberg (1946-95), was part of the Chicago Imagists that came onto the art scene in the 1960s, although most of her works in the exhibition are from the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Her work mainly explores gender and power dynamics, gender constructions, and desire, perhaps depicted most obviously in her piece ‘Tight Hipped’, with a bulging crotch peeping out from underneath a corset.
The paintings shown are darkly sensual acrylics on fibreboard or Masonite, highly finished and with crisp geometric lines and curves depicting torsos in corsets.
Perhaps the most striking piece of the exhibition is Howardina Pindell’s 1980 film ‘Free, White and 21’, in which Pindell recounts her experiences of being subjected to lifelong racism, which included abuse by teachers and being singled out by white people, all while wrapping herself in bandages and peeling Elmer’s Glue off her face. This is punctuated intermittently by the artist dressed as a white woman reeling off racist platitudes, presumably echoing that which Pindell has heard throughout her life.
Christina Ramberg's 'The Making of Husbands' exhibition runs until the 21st February 2021 at the BALTIC.
Featured Image: The BALTIC