Carolee Schneemann
Cézanne, She Was A Great Painter

  • Size: 21.5 × 28 mm
  • Pages: 54 pp.
  • Binding: softcover
  • Publication date: 2014
  • Publisher: Kunstverein Toronto




Carolee Schneemann’s artist’s book Cézanne, She Was a Great Painter was originally printed in three editions in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The book compiles Schneemann’s writings from the 1960s and 70s: letters and unsent letters, fragments from notebooks, manifesto-like statements, and performance scripts – including that from her renowned 1975 piece, Interior Scroll. Though best known for her performances, Schneemann has always identified as a painter, and the title comes from her early interest in Cézanne. She writes, in the book’s introduction: “Around twelve years old I knew a few names of ‘great artists.’ . . . I decided a painter named ‘Cézanne’ would be my mascot; I would assume Cézanne was unquestionably a woman.” In the context of the current exhibition Dear Carolee: Carolee Schneemann in Letters, Kunstverein Toronto has re-published Cézanne.

Carolee Schneemann: b. 12 October 1939 grew up in Penna. & Vt. a painter who has worked with bodies light movement technologies industrial environments natural environments heat sound collage music musicians dancers cooks ropes steel girders water snow mud cars crowds groups troupes rocks fire meat chickens blood glass trees pastures passionate compassionate funny angry generous selfish shy aggressive self determined needing constant approval can’t miss a party must have time alone sophisticated naïve organic gardener lives in the country lives in the city*

*A biography of Carolee Schneemann, as printed in elima: a journal of writing, issue 1, 1973