Sheila Pepe: Hot Mess Formalism

by Gilbert Vicario, Julia Bryan-Wilson (Contributor), Amada Cruz (Contributor)

This mid-career retrospective showcases Sheila Pepe’s range as an artist comfortable with both the everyday and also the extraordinary. Shoelaces, nautical ropes, bits of string. For two decades Sheila Pepe has been transforming these items into transcendent works that can fit on a lap or fill a room. Her versatility, humor, and feminist perspective are on brilliant display in this book that traces her development over the past twenty years. Essays look at how the artist plays with feminist and craft traditions to counter patriarchal notions, and the site-specific nature of her work. Arranged both chronologically and thematically, this lushly illustrated book focuses on an artist doing important work in the fields of queer theory, craft making, and personal geography.

128 pages, Hardcover

Published November 21, 2017

Reviews

[Mark Bieraugel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Pepe (b.1959) is an American abstract artist who works primarily in fiber. Her large scale installations and other work are well represented and discussed in this mid-career exhibition catalog. Interesting essays and an interview with Pepe introduce us to her art and ideas, followed by good quality photos of sculptures, works on paper, and installations. A must read for those interested in fiber art, queer art, and abstract art.