Cleopatra
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Alan Shields

Cleopatra

The three pendants included in Object & Thing present an opportunity to experience a little-known side of Alan Shields’ work. Long considered an “artist’s artist,” Shields has recently been reappraised by a broader public, who have fallen hard for his nonchalant manner, which may initially seem wayward and intuitive, but is in fact deeply considered. He has a touch with materials like no other artist of his “post-Minimalist” generation. All these qualities are abundantly present in his necklace pendants, which somehow manage to evoke both the surreal boxes of Joseph Cornell and arcade pinball games. Nor was this just a brief diversion for Shields: he had a space permanently dedicated to beadwork in his studio and wore necklaces himself his whole life. According to gallerist Dorsey Waxter, “He took pleasure in the idea that there was a dual presentation of his necklaces, either worn or showcased in a box as indicated on the verso of the boxes. He took pride in this kind of simple invention.”

This work is no longer available for sale. Please be in touch with Object & Thing for further information.

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Tearsheet

Artist
Alan Shields
Material
Wood beads painted with enamel paint, Dacron fishing line, with artist's painted wood box
Contributing Gallery
Van Doren Waxter
Date
1993
Dimensions
15 in × 13.25 in × 5.5 in
38.1 cm × 33.655 cm × 13.97 cm
ID
Image credit: Photography by Charles Benton
Cleopatra
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Cleopatra