Selling Exhibition: Betty Goodwin

“Untethered Bodies: The Swimmers of Betty Goodwin” and “Betty Goodwin: Beyond Flesh and Bone” are curated selections of seminal work by Betty Goodwin from three important private collections. This major selling exhibition is curated by Barbara Edwards (Barbara Edwards Contemporary) and Lydia Abbott (Cowley Abbott).

Pricing is available upon request and includes all in-house fees (but are exclusive of applicable taxes). Further details regarding buying with Cowley Abbott can be found by referring to our Conditions of Sale and the "How to Purchase" page.

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Untitled (Carbon Series), 1989
Lot #311
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Untitled (Carbon Series), 1989

graphite on geofilm
signed and dated 1989 lower right; titled and dated on two gallery labels on the reverse
10.75 x 8.25 in ( 27.3 x 21 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Untitled (bone series)
Lot #317
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Untitled (bone series)

pigment wash with turpentine on paper
signed and dated 1992 lower left; dated 1991 lower right; titled on the gallery label on the reverse
17.75 x 11.75 in ( 45.1 x 29.8 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Ein Stein Ist Aus Meinem Herzen Gefallen
Lot #307
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Ein Stein Ist Aus Meinem Herzen Gefallen

mixed media on paper
signed and dated 1985 lower right; titled and dated 1985 on three labels on the reverse
21.5 x 17 in ( 54.6 x 43.2 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, A blue bone in my throat
Lot #316
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
A blue bone in my throat

graphite and mixed media on paper
signed, titled and dated 1984 lower right
17.75 x 22.75 in ( 45.1 x 57.8 cm ) ( sight )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Swimmer
Lot #303
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Swimmer

oil and graphite on vellum
signed and dated 1983 lower right; titled and dated 1983 to three gallery labels on the reverse
16.25 x 21.25 in ( 41.3 x 54 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Limit of Being
Lot #318
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Limit of Being

mixed media on paper
signed and dated 1984 lower right; titled and dated 1984 to three gallery labels on the reverse
22.75 x 35.25 in ( 57.8 x 89.5 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Untitled (Figure/Animal Series)
Lot #319
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Untitled (Figure/Animal Series)

oil stick and graphite on two sheets of transparent mylar
signed and dated 1989 lower right; titled and dated on the gallery label on the reverse
13 x 9 in ( 33 x 22.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Imprint
Lot #314
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Imprint

laser print
signed and dated "11 1992" lower right, titled and numbered 4/9 lower left; titled and dated on two labels on the reverse
16 x 11 in ( 40.6 x 27.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Figure/Ladder XV
Lot #315
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Figure/Ladder XV

oil stick and graphite on geofilm
signed and dated 1997 lower right; titled on the gallery label on the reverse
17 x 11 in ( 43.2 x 27.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Knotted Arms
Lot #313
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Knotted Arms

oil stick
signed and dated 1988 lower right; titled and dated on the labels on the reverse
17 x 11 in ( 43.2 x 27.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Black Parcel
Lot #320
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Black Parcel

etching
signed, titled, dated October, 1970 and inscribed "proof" in the lower margin; titled and dated 2002 on the gallery label on the reverse
17.5 x 20.5 in ( 44.5 x 52.1 cm ) ( plate size )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Untitled (Swimmers Series), 1982-83
Lot #300
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Untitled (Swimmers Series), 1982-83

oil pastel and graphite on paper
signed and dated 1982-83 lower right; dated 1982-83 to a gallery label on the reverse
17.75 x 27.75 in ( 45.1 x 70.5 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Swimmer
Lot #301
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Swimmer

oil stick
signed and dated 1982 lower right
17.5 x 27.75 in ( 44.5 x 70.5 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Secours (Sans Titre, Swimmers Series)
Lot #302
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Secours (Sans Titre, Swimmers Series)

oil stick on paper
signed and dated 1984 lower right; titled on the gallery label on the reverse
17.5 x 22 in ( 44.5 x 55.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Do you know how long it takes any one voice to reach another, 1985
Lot #305
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Do you know how long it takes any one voice to reach another, 1985

oil
signed and dated 1985-1986 lower right; titled and dated on labels on the reverse
20 x 28 in ( 50.8 x 71.1 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Swimmer
Lot #306
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Swimmer

oil stick
signed and dated 1982 lower right; titled on the gallery label on the reverse
15.75 x 20.25 in ( 40 x 51.4 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Study for Berlin Project
Lot #304
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Study for Berlin Project

mixed media
signed, titled and dated 1982 lower right
21 x 24.5 in ( 53.3 x 62.2 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Sans titre (Figure & Animal Series)
Lot #312
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Sans titre (Figure & Animal Series)

oil stick
signed and dated "7 87" lower right; titled and dated 1987 on a gallery label on the reverse
11.75 x 17.75 in ( 29.8 x 45.1 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Sans titre (Figure with Megaphone)
Lot #308
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Sans titre (Figure with Megaphone)

pastel
signed and dated 1988 lower right; titled and dated on a label on the reverse
11.5 x 8.25 in ( 29.2 x 21 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

Artwork by Betty Roodish Goodwin, Sans titre (Figure with Megaphone)
Lot #309
BETTY ROODISH GOODWIN
Sans titre (Figure with Megaphone)

oil stick and graphite on translucent mylar film
signed and dated 1988 lower right; titled and dated on a label on the reverse
12 x 9 in ( 30.5 x 22.9 cm ) ( sheet )

Closes December 16th at 07:00:00 PM EST

About This Exhibition

“Untethered Bodies: The Swimmers of Betty Goodwin” and “Betty Goodwin: Beyond Flesh and Bone” are curated selections of seminal work by Betty Goodwin from three important private collections. This major selling exhibition is curated by Barbara Edwards (Barbara Edwards Contemporary) and Lydia Abbott (Cowley Abbott).

Flailing, vulnerable, forsaken, Betty Goodwin’s solitary swimmer appears caught in an undulating rhythm between sinking and floating, gasping and drowning, yet each figure propels ever forward. It is this dichotomy that gives Goodwin’s swimming figures such an arresting presence. Powerful examples from her Swimmers Series are included in “Untethered Bodies: The Swimmers of Betty Goodwin” on view at Cowley Abbott.

Concerned with the fragility and ephemeral quality of life, Betty Goodwin created haunting and mysterious images of solitude and mourning often drawing on her own experience of unfathomable loss. Throughout her oeuvre and across various media, themes of grief and generational trauma emanate from her imagery as the artist struggled to exact meaning from suffering. A selection of these artworks is included in “Betty Goodwin: Beyond Flesh and Bone” on view at Cowley Abbott.

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