NARRATOR:

When Hesse made Not Yet she wrote that she was intent on producing . . .

HESSE (voice actor):

“abstract objects that produce unmistakable sensations attachable to, though not necessarily interpretable as, the erotic.”

NARRATOR:

Her startling and inventive forms were made from commonplace materials: in this case cotton net bags and plastic drop cloths that could have as easily ended up on her studio floor.

Hesse adopted the Minimalist device of repetition, citing artist Carl Andre’s maxim that “Anything worth doing is worth doing again.” What set her apart was that she chose forms that were unpredictable, irregular, and handmade. Art critic Kenneth Baker:

KENNETH BAKER:

This piece is sometimes called Nine Nets. We see the—the minimalist grid. But it’s been softened and made into a skin, in effect.”