Too Good Lookin' To Be Smart': Beauty, Performance and the Art of Hannah Wilke

This dissertation is the first full-length study of the art and career of Hannah Wilke. It investigates the biographical, historical and art-historical circumstances in which she created her art; and it considers the critical evaluation of her work during her active career. The text is roughly chronological, following the development of Wilke's work over the course of her career and making connections between her major bodies of work. In addition to the published material by and about Wilke, analysis of the work was based on the following materials: sketchbooks, diaries, correspondence and other personal papers, the artist's substantial files of slides and contact sheets, her book collections, and many unpublished works. Most of this material has not yet been studied by other scholars. In addition, many people who knew Wilke personally and/or professionally were interviewed including family, friends, colleagues, critics, and curators.