Rest in Power, Helène Aylon

The Feminist Press is deeply saddened to share that Helène Aylon (1931–2020) has died from COVID-19. She was 89.

Aylon was a visual, conceptual installation performance artist and ecofeminist whose art has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum in New York; the Jewish Museum in New York; the Aldrich Museum in Connecticut; and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, among many others. Her work can be divided into three phases: process art (1970s), antinuclear art (1980s), and The G-d Project (1990s and early 2000s), a feminist commentary on the Hebrew Bible and other established traditions. Throughout her career she collaborated with many major artists and writers, including Ana Mendieta, Grace Paley, Ad Reinhardt, and Mark Rothko. In 2016 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art.

Feminist Press was honored to publish her memoir Whatever Is Contained Must Be Released in 2012. “Never afraid to question sacred texts, ancient rituals, and religious bias—Aylon is a role model for all artists. Whatever Is Contained is an arresting tale of uncommon courage, intelligence, and wit,” shared art historian Gail Levin upon publication.

“Helène Aylon’s legacy as a groundbreaking multimedia ecofeminist artist lives on through the many generations she inspired to break barriers, question injustice, and create new worlds. May her memory through her writing and powerful art remain a blessing to the world,” writes Feminist Press exeuctive director and publisher Jamia Wilson.

The feminist and art communities will mourn the loss of Aylon’s singular talent and voice.