Ida Applebroog was a multimedia artist whose work confronted gender, depression, sexual identity, mental health, and social politics.
- Died: October 22, 2023 (Who else died on October 22?)
- Details of death: Died in New York City at the age of 93.
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Ida Applebroog’s legacy
Born in the Bronx to an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, Applebroog studied graphic design at NY State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, but quickly left the advertising industry rather than tolerate how normalized sexual harassment was in the workplace. She illustrated children’s books as a freelancer when she moved to Chicago and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After moving to California in the 1960s, Applebroog grappled with depression through her art, often sketching intimate portraits of her own body. This series of works would not be publicly shown until 2010, but it set the groundwork for her future explorations.
Her art delved into gender, sexuality, violence, and social issues. Applebroog used a unique style that combined drawings, text, and montage. In the 1970s, she began creating large-scale installations, transforming spaces into immersive art experiences. She also experimented with unusual materials and techniques, including using hair, fabric, and even animation in her pieces. Her work often explored themes such as social power dynamics, gender roles, mental health, and human sexuality. By this time, her work was earning wider recognition, and was collected in books such as “Galileo Works,” “Dyspepsia Works,” and “Blue Books.”
Applebroog’s work has been exhibited in museums all over the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She has been awarded numerous accolades throughout her career, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 1998, the Women’s Caucus for Art Lifetime Achievement Award, a lifetime achievement award from the College Art Association, and an appointment as the Milton Avery Distinguished Chair from Bard College.
Notable quote
“Work happens for a reason, whether you’re located in a certain place, or you have certain experiences.”—from a 2017 interview with Art News
Tributes to Ida Applebroog
Full obituary: The New York Times
