Interview transcript
Vivian Bullaudy: Our main interest as gallery is to present the artists that have made a difference. And in Hollis Taggart’s opinion and myself Idelle Weber is on of those artists that had made a great contribution in the world of Pop Art and it derives itself from an extraordinary personal view of the times and of her reaction to the times. Political politics, subcultural sexual politics, all of these incredibly rich and complex thoughts are merged very elegantly here and of course her great Pop masterpiece called Munchkins I, II & III is something that’s brought back to glorious pop form which encapsulates so much in such an epic way.
Idelle Weber: I always painted and that’s all I wanted to do as a child. My mother took me every week to the art institute so we could look at miniatures but also Hopper. We went to those things that I always wanted to go to. When I first came to New York, I had a drawing at the Modern, there was a huge drawing show and I could see the business people so I leant it against the night lights. My husband was a lawyer, I met him when I first came to New York. I was very influenced by the law firm and then that world which I knew nothing about and it was grim. I once sit in with Motherwell, I really loved his work, I went up to Hunter, and, you know, had an appointment with him, and then his teaching, and I had my portfolio, “This is good, that’s good” and then he said “Are you married?”, I said “No.” He said “Do you want to have children?”, I said “Of course, who doesn’t!”, he said “Then you will never keep painting, I don’t think you should audit the class.”
I stayed at a place called Rehearsal Club, I heard someone calling and he said “Anybody wanna babysit?”, I asked who wants it and he said “Rothko.” With that I dropped my bags and left them in the hall, I said “I’ll do it!” He walked me home that night and every time I saw him he remembered me.
There are couple of things I’m very pleased with, I’m very pleased with the sculpture, but I love painting and if comes out ok – I’m the happiest.
The exhibition Idelle Weber: The Pop Years on view at Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York through April 25, 2013.
This interview © galleryIntell. Images provided courtesy of Hollis Taggart Galleries. Artwork © Idelle Weber.
