Marcia Hafif
Marcia Hafif (b. 1929, Pomona, CA, d. 2018, Laguna Beach, CA) has been widely exhibited since 1964. Hafif’s conceptual monochromes recreate emotional understanding through a highly methodical approach that relates her body to her process. The work illuminates natural idiosyncrasies integral to the human touch. In 1978, Hafif wrote an elegiac essay published in Artforum entitled “Beginning Again,” expressively noting that “the enterprise of painting was in question” and that “[it] was necessary to turn inward, to the means of art, the materials and techniques with which art is made…to be able to vivify it by beginning all over again.”
Marcia Hafif’s paintings have been exhibited extensively in Europe and the United States. Recent major exhibitions include Marcia Hafif, The Inventory: Painting at Laguna Art Museum, 2015; Marcia Hafif: The Italian Paintings 1961-69 at Fergus McCaffrey, New York, 2016; Marcia Hafif at Kunstmuseum St. Gallen and Kunsthaus Baselland, Switzerland, 2017; Marcia Hafif: A Place Apart at Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, 2018; Marcia Hafif: Inventaire at Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (MAMCO), Geneva, 2019; Marcia Hafif: Paintings, 2000-2014 at parrasch heijnen, Los Angeles, 2020; Marcia Hafif: Change and Continuity 1962-1974 at Fergus McCaffrey, Tokyo, 2022; Marcia Hafif: Select Work from “The Inventory,” 1967 - 1998, Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York, 2023; Roma 1961-1969, MARCO Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma, Italy, 2024 and Marcia Hafif: From the Inventory at Fergus McCaffrey, New York, 2026. Hafif’s work can be found in the permanent collections of: The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY; Kunsthaus Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland; Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA; Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (MAMCO), Geneva, Switzerland; Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA; and Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, among others. Marcia Hafif is represented by parrasch heijnen, Los Angeles and Fergus McCaffrey, New York, Tokyo and St. Barth.
Select Works
Select Exhibitions
Marcia Hafif: Select Work from “The Inventory,” 1967–1998. Franklin Parrasch Gallery, New York. September 8 - November 4, 2023
Marcia Hafif: Change and Continuity 1962 - 1974, Fergus McCaffrey, Tokyo. September 24 - November 6, 2022
Marcia Hafif: An Extended Gray Scale—Los Angeles. Presented by Jarl Mohn and Fergus McCaffrey Gallery. February 17 - March 20, 2022
Select Press
2022
McFadden, Jane. “Marcia Hafif: An Extended Gray Scale.” The Brooklyn Rail, March, 2022.
2021
Pocaro, Alan. “Radically Simple: A Review of Marcia Hafif at RUSCHMAN.” New City Art, April, 2021.
2019
Schellenberg, Samuel. “Marcia Hafif, le ré2l au format abstrait.” Le Courrier, 8 March 2019.
Gasparina, Jill. “Marcia Hafif, le grand inventaire.” Le Temps, 24 April 2019.
2018
Volk, Gregory. “The Extraordinary Marcia Hafif.” Hyperallergic, October 27, 2018.
Greengerger, Alex. “Marcia Hafif, Painter of Sensual Conceptual Monochromes, Dies at 88.” ARTnews, April, 2018.
2016
Waltemath, Joan. “Marcia Hafif: The Art of Distillation.” The Brooklyn Rail, 2016.
2012
Schloen, Anne. “Marica Hafif in conversation with Anne Schloen.” MOFF, 2012.
2010
Wei, Lilly. “Marcia Hafif at Newman Popiashvili” Artnews, May 2010.
Smith, Roberta. “Marcia Hafif: ‘From the Inventory: Black Paintings, 1979-1980.’” Art in Review, The New York Times, March 26, 2010.
”Painting in Italy 1961-1969,” Marcia Hafif - La Période Romaine / Italian Paintings, 1961-1969, 2010.
”NY Times Art in Review: Paschke, Hafif.” Two Coats of Paint, 26 March 2010.
2007
Clothier, Peter. “Marcia Hafif,” The Buddha Diaries, 29 August 2007.
2006
Maine, Stephen. “Marcia Hafif at Baumgartner,” Art in America, January 2006.
2005
Waltemath, Joan. “Interruption in the Reign of Discontinuities,” the Brooklyn Rail, November 2005.
Garwood, Deborah. “Optical Alchemy,” Offoffoff Art, November 16, 2005.
2004
Wei, Lilly. “Marcia Hafif at Larry Becker,” Art in America. June - July 2004.
2003
Pinczewski, Andreas. “Before Aft Becomes Art.” Pencil on Paper: Marcia Haiff, 2003.
1995
Muller, Sabine. “Opening Speech for the Exhibition,” artothek, koeln, 1995.
1994
Massera, Jean-Charles. “Your Attention Please,” 1994.
1991
”On Composition,” MALEREI PUR, 1991.
1990
Weckop-Conrads, Helga. ”Painting in the Usual Way.” Marcia Hafif: Red Paintings, 1990.
”Why Paint.” Marcia Hafif: Red Paintings, 1990.
Nickas, Robert. “Chinese Red 33 x 33.” RED, 1990.
1978
”Beginning Again,” Artforum, September 1978.
1974
Volpi Orlandini, Marisa. “Marcia Hafif.” Data #13, 1974.
1969
Marcia Hafif, Galleria "Qui Arte Contemporanea", Rome, 1969.
1968
”Potete Vederci Quello Che Vi Piace,” Le Mostre Avanguardistiche Dell'Editalia, 9 marzo 1968.
Nove Artisti, Galleria La Salita, Rome, 1968.
1967
Il Gruppo illumination, Gian Pacher, Trento, 1967.