Gallagher, Ellen | Duke, 2004 — available on Composition Gallery

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Photogravure with laser-incised peeled paper, collage and hair pomade

Duke by Ellen Gallagher is a 2004 photogravure collage that explores themes of identity and cultural representation. This intricate work combines photogravure with laser-incised paper, collage elements, and hair pomade, creating a textured surface that is both visually engaging and conceptually rich. Arranged in a grid, a series of faces with varied hairstyles fill the composition, each modified to reflect different hair textures and styles. The use of hair pomade highlights African American cultural aesthetics and comments on societal standards of beauty and identity. Gallagher’s piece is a powerful commentary on race, individuality, and the commodification of appearance.

Ellen Gallagher (United States, 1965) is an American artist whose multimedia works explore themes of race, identity, and history. She merges painting, collage, and film to craft layered narratives, frequently referencing African American culture and the Middle Passage. Gallagher's art invites reflection on historical contexts and challenges perceptions of cultural memory.

Ellen Gallagher

Duke, 2004

Name: Duke, 2004
SKU: 2542

Form

Photography

PhotographyPhotography is the process of creating an image on light sensitive materials. The image is produced by using a camera, which has a lens that focuses on light either reflected or emitted from an object. These visible wavelengths are used to reproduce the image seen.

Medium

Photogravure

PhotogravurePhotogravure is a high-quality printing process that involves etching a photograph onto a copper plate. The plate is inked and pressed onto paper, producing fine art prints with detailed, soft tones and rich textures. Developed in the 19th century, photogravure is renowned for its ability to create art reproductions with exceptional depth and subtlety.

Edition

Edition of 20 + 5AP

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Photogravure with laser-incised peeled paper, collage and hair pomade

Ellen Gallagher

Duke, 2004

Photography

Photogravure

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My work is on the one hand laboured, and on the other completely happenstance and intuitive.
- Ellen Gallagher

Ellen Gallagher is a contemporary artist from the United States. First studying writing at Oberlin College, and then earning a degree in fine arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, she is known for her innovative mixed media work. Ellen Gallagher’s themes often include issues of race, as well as mythology and the dynamics between history and the present. One of Ellen Gallagher’s most famous works, an ongoing series called Watery Ecstatic, showcases her techniques and topics. The pieces center on a mythological underwater world people by the descendants of those lost at sea during the Middle Passage, and, in keeping with the sailing motif, feature a heavy etching into thick watercolor paper, alluding to the scrimshaw art that sailors etched into whalebone. Another of Ellen Gallagher’s favorite techniques is collage and mosaic works, with images and advertisements culled from vintage issues of African American publications such as Ebony. Ellen Gallagher works out of New York City and Rotterdam.

Artwork by John Baldessari

What is conceptual art?

Sometimes referred to as Conceptualism, this is an art form where the idea(s) or concept(s) behind the work take precedence over material concerns and traditional aesthetics. Many conceptual artworks can be created by anyone simply by following written instructions. The concept or idea is the most essential aspect of the artwork.

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Ellen Gallagher

Duke, 2004

35.6 x 26.7 cm

Language & Currency

Ellen Gallagher