Carol Rama spent decades as an outsider to the Italian art establishment before late recognition as one of the 20th century's most radical figures, and this free Chelsea gallery show surveys the body-obsessed work that earned her a Golden Lion. Watercolors of tongues and limbs sit beside assemblages studded with bicycle-tire rubber and animal claws, all charged with desire and defiance. If you want a show that is provocative, important and free, add Hauser & Wirth to your gallery walk.
What to expect
Expect an intimate, career-spanning hang of small and mid-scale works that reward close reading, in the gallery's quiet street-level rooms. The imagery is frank and adult, so the show suits viewers comfortable with erotic and bodily themes. Entry is free with no reservation.
Good to know
- Take the C or E to 23rd Street and walk west toward Eleventh Avenue
- It shares a building with other Hauser & Wirth shows, so you can see several at once
- Admission is free and walk-in
- Some imagery is explicit, so it is best for adult visitors
- Best for fans of outsider art, feminist art history and 20th-century European work
- Pair it with nearby 22nd and 24th Street galleries for a fuller afternoon
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Common questions
Who was Carol Rama?
She was a self-taught Italian artist, active from the 1930s onward, celebrated late in life for her transgressive, body-focused work and awarded a Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale.
Is it free?
Yes; the gallery is free and open to the public.
Is the content adult?
Some works are erotically explicit, so it is best suited to adult visitors.
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