Mary Obering (b. 1937, Shreveport, d. 2022, New York) received a BA in Psychology at Hollins College in 1959. She studied calculus at Radcliffe College (Harvard’s women’s college) and did post- bachelor work in experimental psychology with BF Skinner at Harvard shortly after. She received an MFA in painting from the University of Denver in June 1971, and shortly thereafter she moved to NYC.
Obering’s works have been included in exhibitions at 1975 Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Museum of Fine Art, Boston; Artists Space, New York; the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut; The Denver Art Museum and Nelson-Atkins Museum among others. Her works are in the permanent collections of major institutions, including The Whitney Museum of American Art, The Detroit Institute of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Perez Museum, and the Wadsworth Atheneum.
Exhibitions

Mary Obering: Works from 1972 – 2003
7 Jan – 26 Feb 2022
39 Walker

Window Series, 1973
11 Oct – 9 Nov 2019
39 Walker
Press
Alex Greenberger Mary Obering, Abstract Painter With a Passionate Following, Dies at 85 Artnews Aug 2022Andrea Kirsh The magic glow above Mary Obering’s paintings at Bortolami Gallery Artblog Jan 2022Eli Anapur The Prolific Practice of Mary Obering Comes to the Spotlight at Bortolami Widewalls Dec 2021Claire Selvin Bortolami Now Represents Mary Obering Artnews Mar 2019Alexandra Pechman Mary Obering paintings exhibited in Los Angeles for the first time Wallpaper* Sep 2018Emily Gallagher Soho Stalwart Mary Obering Talks Art History Cultured Dec 2017Meredith Mendelsohn 11 Female Artists Who Were Pioneering Minimalists Artsy Sep 2016Mario Condognato Mary Obering Primo Piano Artforum Nov 1996Holland Cotter Mary Obering at Littlejohn/Sternau Gallery The New York Times Feb 1995Lilly Wei Mary Obering at Littlejohn/Sternau Gallery Art in America Feb 1995Holland Cotter Mary Obering at Annina Nosei Gallery Art in America 1988Roberta Smith J.B. Cobb, Martha Edelheit, Ree Morton, Mcarthur Binion, Jonathan Borofsky, Mary Obering Artforum Jan 1974Publications
