Nina Yankowitz: In the Out / Out the In

On view October 9, 2025 – February 22, 2025 | Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill, NY

The Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York, has unveiled one of its most ambitious exhibitions to date, Nina Yankowitz: In the Out / Out the In, a sweeping retrospective that captures six decades of fearless experimentation from one of the most dynamic voices in American contemporary art.

Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, and now presented on the East End with generous support from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Eric Firestone Gallery, Sherri and Darren Cohen, and other patrons, the exhibition unfolds across multiple galleries. It offers a rare opportunity to experience the full depth of Yankowitz’s groundbreaking career, from her radical pleated canvases of the 1960s to her immersive, collaborative installations that merge sound, sculpture, and technology.

“Nina Yankowitz has never stopped challenging the limits of artistic practice,” said Parrish Executive Director Mónica Ramírez-Montagut. “She brings painting, sculpture, sound, performance, and technology together in transformative ways, and her work continues to enrich the artistic fabric of our community.”

From Canvas to Sound: The Early Years

Born in New Jersey in 1946, Nina Yankowitz has always embraced experimentation as a form of truth-seeking. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 1969, she quickly established herself in New York’s avant-garde circles, pushing the boundaries of painting through material innovation. Her early works on view at the Parrish—Oh Say Can You See – A Draped Sound Painting (1967–68), Goldie Lox (1968), and Ms. Majesty (1970–71)—use pleating machines, paint sprayers, and sewing techniques to reimagine canvas as a living surface.

These works do more than play with form; they question what painting can be. The folds and textures breathe with energy, the colors pulse with movement, and, in some cases, sound itself becomes part of the experience. Yankowitz’s artistic voice, shaped by the feminist movement and her role as a founding member of the Heresies Collective, found freedom in bending the conventions of art itself.

Language, Perception, and the Human Experience

By the early 1970s, Yankowitz was already redefining the connection between perception and participation. Works such as Dilated Grain Reading: Scanning Reds and Blues (1973) and Lips Knees Neck Elbows Chest Rear (1974) exemplify her use of sound and color to trigger emotional and sensory awareness. These pieces, both on view at the Parrish, invite visitors to experience the intersection of sight and sound, body and consciousness.

Her Dilated Grain Readings series translates sensory experiences into painted form, while Lips Knees Neck Elbows Chest Rear encourages visitors to listen to their own bodies as instruments of perception. The result is both meditative and deeply human, a continuation of Yankowitz’s lifelong fascination with how art communicates without words.

“Working with Nina always feels like a creative journey,” said Parrish Chief Curator Corinne Erni. “Her work asks us not only to look, but to feel, listen, and participate. From her draped canvases to her interactive installations, she invites a level of engagement that stays with you long after you leave the gallery.”

Sculptural Transformations and Sound Architecture

As Yankowitz’s vision evolved through the 1980s and 1990s, she ventured into the sculptural and architectural. The monumental Hell’s Breath – A Vision of the Sounds of Falling (1982), reconstructed for the first time since its debut at MoMA PS1, stands as one of the exhibition’s focal points. The eight ceramic panels stretch across a gallery wall, immersing viewers in a visual rhythm that suggests both collapse and renewal.

Nearby, her Slant Series (1986) and Decorative Minimalism Cube (1991) showcase her playful approach to form and balance, while Cantilevered Sun (1997) extends this exploration of tension and levity. These works underscore Yankowitz’s ability to bridge the tactile and the conceptual, the material and the metaphysical.

Technology, Collaboration, and the Present Moment

The exhibition culminates in Closing Bell (2024–25), currently installed in the museum’s main gallery. This monumental new work brings together more than thirty artists, poets, and musicians in a collective reflection on climate change and migration. With sound, projection, and sculptural elements interwoven into a single immersive environment, Closing Bell positions Yankowitz not only as an artist but as a conductor of creative dialogue.

Also featured is Criss Crossing the Divine (2016), a digital projection work that invites viewers to navigate themes of spirituality and cultural exchange. Together, these installations illuminate her belief that art can be a catalyst for empathy and transformation in the face of global challenges.

The Artist and the East End

Since the 1970s, Yankowitz has been part of the creative fabric of the East End, first visiting with fellow artists such as Barbara Kruger, Joan Semmel, and Michelle Stuart before settling in Sag Harbor in the early 1990s. The natural soundscape of the region—the hum of insects, the call of birds—found its way into her early sound works and remains a quiet undertone throughout her practice.

“It is deeply meaningful to see my story told at the Parrish,” Yankowitz shared. “This museum has long been a place where the community and the arts come together. To have decades of my work presented here feels like both a homecoming and a celebration of the people and places that have inspired me.”

A Living Legacy

Nina Yankowitz: In the Out / Out the In not only traces a remarkable artistic journey but reaffirms her relevance to contemporary discourse. Her works are held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. In 2024, she was inducted into the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame, honoring a career defined by innovation and integrity.

At the Parrish, the retrospective offers an intimate and powerful view of an artist who has never ceased to explore, provoke, and inspire. Supported by institutions like the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation that share her spirit of experimentation, the exhibition stands as a testament to creative courage and the enduring pursuit of connection through art.