Natalie Frank

Artist Natalie Frank creates a feminist perspective on well-known tales in the exhibit Unbound, a survey of her drawings. Frank, based in Brooklyn, New York, takes on fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Madame d’Aulnoy, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” and Story of O, all in separate series in varied media ranging from gouache to chalk pastel. “I restore the identities of these overlooked female artists and transform their stories to create contemporary, paradigm-breaking female heroines,” writes Frank. MMoCA is currently open Friday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m.

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courtesy Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

Natalie Frank, "All Fur III," from "Tales of the Brothers Grimm," 2011–14.

press release: The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (Kemper Museum) are pleased to present Natalie Frank: Unbound, the first survey exhibition of Brooklyn, New York-based artist Natalie Frank’s drawings inspired by some of the best-known and most controversial literary narratives.

Spanning a decade of Frank’s feminist drawing practice, Unbound will present work from the artist’s four major drawing series, each of which is the result of Frank’s rigorous research. “Fairy tales captivated me because many began as women’s oral tales that articulated female desires and fears,” said Frank. “Yet over time their authorship was erased and their voices neutered. I restore the identities of these overlooked female artists and transform their stories to create contemporary, paradigm-breaking female heroines.”  

On Friday, August 13, we’ll host a free reception in the MMoCA Lobby with Frank, where you can enjoy music, a cash bar, and an opportunity to wander through *Unbound* in the adjacent gallery. Members' access begins at 5 pm and general admission is from 6-8 pm. On Saturday, August 14, from 2-3 pm, Frank will be at MMoCA to discuss her exhibition and the intent behind her practice of transforming some of the most well-known and controversial literary narratives into stirring gouache and chalk pastel compositions. Unpacking her richly layered drawings, Frank will walk us through her vivid visualizations of female sexuality, agency, and authorship, while also touching on the feminist concerns--past and present--that inform her work. Admission to the talk is free of charge.

Capacity is limited, so please be sure to register for the artist’s talk at mmoca-nataliefrank.eventbrite.com to ensure you get a seat. Masks are required for the artist’s talk in the Lecture Hall.

Masks are highly recommended indoors in all Museum spaces, particularly in light of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. We look forward to seeing you here!

In “Tales of the Brothers Grimm” (2011–14), Frank presents the unvarnished original nineteenth century versions of these tales as images that celebrate female agency by elevating heroines and villainesses alike. In each of her twenty black-and-white gouache-on-paper drawings, she represents a key scene from Jack Zipes’s anthology “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (2017).  

In a suite of gouache and chalk pastel drawings, Frank reclaims the feminist “Story of O” (2017– 18) and gives image to the psychosexual narratives of the book’s key scenes. Finally, Frank’s drawings of “Madame d’Aulnoy’s” (2019–20) shrewd heroines are anything but conventional. She presents the author’s fantastical stories through a complex layering of color, form, material, and gesture.  

Unbound will be on view at MMoCA June 5– October 3, 2021, before traveling to Kemper Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, where it will be on view from January 28–May 15, 2022.