Pendant

Copied Albert Paley, Pendant, 1973, gold, silver, copper, labradorite, moonstone, jade, glass, ivory, 22 x 8 1⁄2 x 1 1⁄2 in. (55.9 x 21.6 x 3.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the James Renwick Alliance and museum purchase through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program, 1991.135, © 1973, Albert Paley

Artwork Details

Title
Pendant
Artist
Date
1973
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
22 x 8 1⁄2 x 1 1⁄2 in. (55.9 x 21.6 x 3.8 cm)
Copyright
© 1973, Albert Paley
Credit Line
Gift of the James Renwick Alliance and museum purchase through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program
Mediums
Mediums Description
gold, silver, copper, labradorite, moonstone, jade, glass, ivory
Classifications
Object Number
1991.135
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1991.135

Artwork Description

Albert Paley sees the body as a stage for presenting his "wearable sculpture" and engineered this piece ergonomically so that it would move in direct response to the body. The large scale of Pendant dominates the female form and forces the wearer to become a dynamic element of the composition. In the context of the feminist movement of the 1970s, Pendant may be read as the transformation of a personal item into a public symbol of strength.