Penumbra, 1976-77
Linen
54 x 47 inches
Walker Art Center

Thin slits create a diamond formation on the face of the black linen tapestry, resembling a penumbra—the space of partial illumination between deep shadow and full light. The word penumbra also means to cover, shroud, or obscure. 

In this early work, Harriet Bart continues her exploration of the protective function of textiles and the garments into which textiles are often fashioned.

She completed this piece the same year she joined the Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota (WARM), a feminist art collective that welcomed her into a vibrant network of feminist artistic exchange and consciousness raising. She describes her experience in WARM as “inspiring years of growth” that transformed her practice to one rooted in collaboration. Bart exhibited Penumbra in 1978 as part of her first solo exhibition in the WARM Gallery.

Publication:

  • Abracadabra and Other Forms of Protection, Laura Wertheim Joseph editor and curator, Weisman Art Museum

Exhibitions: