Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Lilith, 1993. Mixed media with honeysuckle vines. Photo: Larry Fink. Courtesy of the artist.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). A Sabatine Christmas, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, 1983. Courtesy of the artist.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). A Sabatine Christmas, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, 1983.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, 1992. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, 1992.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). George Plimpton and Models at Elaine’s, New York, NY, 1999. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). George Plimpton and Models at Elaine’s, New York, NY, 1999.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023), The Haircut, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, 2015. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). The Haircut, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, 2015.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023), Pigs at Stacia’s, Pennsylvania, 2019. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Pigs at Stacia’s, Pennsylvania, 2019.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Martha Posner with Coat of My Lost Happiness, 1997. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Martha Posner with Coat of My Lost Happiness, 1997. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Lilith, 1993. Mixed media with honeysuckle vines. Photo: Larry Fink. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Lilith, 1993.
Mixed media with honeysuckle vines. Photo: Larry Fink. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Memory of Flight IV, 2010. Fencing, beeswax, found objects, synthetic hair, feathers and pigment. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Memory of Flight IV, 2010.
Fencing, beeswax, found objects, synthetic hair, feathers and pigment. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Mercy, 2011-2016. Mixed media, dimensions variable.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Mercy, 2011-2016.
Mixed media, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Me Too (detail), 2018. Mixed media installation, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Me Too (detail), 2018.
Mixed media installation, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Pink Bed Jacket (detail), 2024. Found object, synthetic hair, and hair of the artist. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Pink Bed Jacket (detail), 2024.
Found object, synthetic hair, and hair of the artist. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Rabbit and Wings, 2009. Charcoal and oil stick on Arches paper, 26 x 22 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Martha Posner (American, born 1956). Rabbit and Wings, 2009.
Charcoal and oil stick on Arches paper, 26 x 22 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Praying Mantis, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, 1978. Courtesy of the artist's estate.
Larry Fink (American, 1941-2023). Praying Mantis, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, 1978.
Courtesy of the artist's estate.

Larry Fink / Martha Posner: Flesh and Bone

November 17, 2024–April 13, 2025

This exhibition explores the creative dialogue between photographer Larry Fink (1941-2023) and sculptor Martha Posner (born 1956), who were romantic partners for more than 30 years. Radically different artists, their work nonetheless shares common themes of desire, vulnerability, and brutality. Both also explore myth throughout their art: Posner explicitly, through her re-imagining of female subjects from various legends and mythic traditions; Fink implicitly, through his shrewd eye for human impulse, folly, and bravado, qualities he found in almost every scenario no matter how base or exalted.

Both artists embrace the animal world almost as an extension of the human, a reflection of their life on a Pennsylvania farm surrounded by other creatures. Their rural existence brought them close to life cycles and earthy needs. Fink began photographing the farm and neighboring community in the 1970s. Posner arrived in the 1990s and immediately took to her surroundings, finding magic and transfiguration—processes in which she firmly believes—throughout the woods and meadows.

Viewing these artists side by side reveals subtle and surprising qualities in both. The exhibition will broadly survey each of their independent bodies of work, with an eye to how creative partners influence and surprise each other.

This exhibition is organized by Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design and curated by Peter Barberie, the Brodsky Curator of Photographs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This exhibition is made possible, in part, with generous support from:

Silver Sponsors
Ellen Chapman and Michael Moss
Carole Crosby and Larry Wickless
Wil and Sally Hergenrader Endowed Fund for Special Exhibitions

Gallery Didactics for Picking up the Pieces:

Special thanks to the many generous donors who made gifts in memory of Peppi Elona.

Programs

© Sarasota Art Museum 2024