The Letters of Rosemary and Bernadette Mayer, 1976-1980
Edited by Gillian Sneed and Marie Warsh
Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany/ Ludwig Forum, Aachen, Germany/ Spike Island, Bristol England/ Swiss Institute, New York, NY
Designed by Santiago da Silva and Cecilia Breña
2022
This collection of the correspondence between artist Rosemary Mayer (1943–2014) and poet Bernadette Mayer (born 1945) occurs between the years of 1976 and 1980, a period of rich creativity in New York’s artistic avant-garde, and one which includes the development of major bodies of work by the two women. Rosemary Mayer was creating sculptures, watercolors, books and “temporary monuments” from weather balloons and snow, while Bernadette Mayer was working on some of her best-known publications, including the book-length poem Midwinter Day and the poetry collection The Golden Book of Words. Spanning the worlds of Conceptual art, Postminimalism, feminism, the New York School, Language poetry and more, these letters elucidate the bonds of sisterhood through intimate exchanges about art, relationships and everyday life.
Reviews
Rose Higham-Stainton, “Epistolary Sisterhood: On ‘The Letters of Rosemary and Bernadette Mayer 1976–1980,’” Los Angeles Review of Books , October 7, 2022.
Daniel Muzyczuk, “The Letters of Rosemary and Bernadette Mayer, 1976-1980,” e-flux Criticism, June 30, 2023.
Tausif Noor, “On The Letters of Rosemary and Bernadette Mayer, 1976-1980," The Poetry Project Newsletter, Spring 2023.
Noa Wesley, “The Ten Best Art Books of 2022”, Brooklyn Rail, 2022.
Interview with the Editors
Event
Swiss Institute
October 27, 2022
A reading of selected letters by the editors and other readers, including Rachel James, Noam Parness, Zoe Brezsny, Barbara Epler, Siobhan Liddell, Donna Dennis, and Brenda Coultas.
Gillian Sneed introducing the book.