Mary Frank: The Observing Heart

This catalogue from the exhibition Mary Frank: The Observing Heart provides an overview of the American artist Mary Frank’s illustrious career, from the early 1950s until the present. It contains examples of her wide-ranging work in a variety of media, including clay, wood, and bronze sculpture; photography; painting; drawing; and monoprinting. It includes a foreword by Anna Conlan and an introductory essay by the curator David Hornung.

Part of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art’s Hudson Valley Masters series, the exhibition presents Frank’s powerful artwork from over six decades, which has always centered on the twin themes of social justice and the preservation of the natural world. An acclaimed artist and activist, Frank has been making art in her Manhattan and Hudson Valley studios for over sixty years. She is an independent spirit who emerged during the years of rising feminism in the early 1970s and has always followed a personal vision distinct from prevailing art-world fashion. Mary Frank: The Observing Heart is a gathering of the artist’s sculpture, painting, drawings, prints, and photographs—a career overview of a brave artist who has never compromised her beliefs about art or life.

David Hornung is Professor of Art and Art history at Adelphi University (retired). He is the author of Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers, now in its third edition.