Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre: Duet of Leaf and Stone

On February 8, 1985, Carl Andre wrote to his new bride: “Darling Ana: Your theme is the pregnant earth. My theme is the universe before the earth and after. Yours is the jewel, mine is the setting.”1 In this note, the avatar of Minimalism posits his work as the universal structure offsetting the humanity of Ana Mendieta's post-Minimalist work. As Minimalism informed post-Minimalism, so did Andre affect the direction of Mendieta's last years personally and artistically. Their emotionally volatile relationship was one of aesthetic convergence as well as conflict, of mutual give-and-take. While recognized for her early performance-based work and earth-body series Siluetas, the object-making Mendieta began in the final years of her life has been shrouded in the same obscurity as her relationship with Andre. Yet an examination of their creative synergy offers insight into Mendieta's intent as she searched for ways to bring her earth art into the gallery as permanent sculpture. Despite its deplorable end, their...