Irrational Judgments: Eva Hesse, Sol LeWitt, and 1960s New York

The friendship and collaboration of influential New York artists Sol LeWitt and Eva Hesse lasted a mere 10 years, but their intense influence on the art world still lingers. Throughout this wonderful new academic study, UMass–Lowell art history professor Swenson explores the breakthroughs in each artist’s career and the ways their work converged and diverged over time. Swenson proceeds chronologically through the 1960s, tracing the overlap between the two artists and how their creative production evolved. Hesse and LeWitt both started their careers as painters but negotiated their conceptual problems with painting by turning to three-dimensional work. Letters between Hesse and LeWitt convey the powerful connection between the two, and it is inspiring to see how they pushed each other to work harder and in more innovative ways. Swenson’s smart criticism points out the politics of sexuality and gender at play between the two but does not force a fixed narrative onto the story of their relationship. At the center of the book is the art itself—the stunning and provocative work that separated them from their predecessors and successors. Hesse died in 1970 at age 36, cutting short a tremendous career and her powerful bond with LeWitt. This stellar account of Hesse and LeWitt’s friendship, as well as their exhibitions and installations, will deepen readers’ understanding of these groundbreaking artists. Illus. (Dec.)