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Label Text Most of the artist's work is based on photographs of black women combined with texts that reinforce the subject. Generally the subject has to do with how people become stereotyped through external attributes improperly seen as indicative of character. Her work points up stereotyping through gender, skin color, hair type and style, and clothing. Since 1990 Simpson has often addressed hair style. Wigs is her most direct commentary on the subject, and it is also the largest work sh has created. Source: NEWS September October 1995
Exhibition History"MCM - Y2K: A Century of Art On Paper," Des Moines Art Center, Dec. 11, 1999 - Feb. 13, 2000

"From Body to Being: Reflections on the Human Image," Des Moines Art Center, Feb. 1 - May 4, 1997

"Gender Beyond Memory: The Works of Contemporary Women Artists," Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 5 - Oct. 27, 1996

"Lorna Simpson," Wiener Secession, Vienna, Austria, Oct. 20 - Nov. 26, 1995
Published ReferencesDMAC News, Sept./Oct. 1995, p.3

Bell Hooks, "Lorna Simpson," Wiener Secession, Vienna, 1995, exh. cat., color ills. wraparound cover, p.11 & details pp.12 & 13 (Printed by REMAprint; Vienna, translation Elisabeth Frank-Grossebner)

Asahi Shimbun, ed., "Gender Beyond Memory: The Works of Contemporary Women Artists," Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, 1996, p.72, ill. on foldout pp.73 & 74 (also brochure with color ill. p.3)

"MCM - Y2K: A Century of Art On Paper," Des Moines Art Center, 1999, pp.23 & 29

AN UNCOMMON VISION: THE DES MOINES ART CENTER, Des Moines Art Center, 1998, ref. & color ill. p.259, color detail p.258

"Lorna Simpson", Abrams, New York, in association with the American Federation of Arts, 2006, color ill. pgs. 40-41, ref. pg. 148
DimensionsOverall: 98 × 265 in. (248.9 × 673.1 cm)
Accession Number 1995.4.a-.ooo
Classificationsprint
Editionunique
ProvenanceArtist. (Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, IL); Des Moines Art Center [purchased from the previous, 1995]

Images (3)

Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Wigs
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines