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.”