Wonderland

Miriam Schapiro, Wonderland, 1983, acrylic, fabric and plastic beads on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 1996.88
Miriam Schapiro, Wonderland, 1983, acrylic, fabric and plastic beads on canvas, 90144 12 in. (228.6367.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 1996.88

Artwork Details

Title
Wonderland
Date
1983
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
90144 12 in. (228.6367.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of an anonymous donor
Mediums Description
acrylic, fabric and plastic beads on canvas
Subjects
  • Occupation — domestic
  • Figure female — full length
  • Dress — accessory — apron
  • Architecture Interior — domestic — house
Object Number
1996.88

Artwork Description

The fabric--which is really, in a larger sense, the fabric of my life--was so important to me.
--Miriam Schapiro

Wonderland is a celebration of home life. In the center, the embroidered image of a woman inside a home welcomes us inside. The surrounding swirl of quilt blocks, aprons, and cutouts of teacups represent pieces of domestic life.
Miriam Schapiro's feminine collages--what she called "femmages"--use traditional crafts, such as embroidered handkerchiefs, and painted whimsical imagery, like hearts and flowers, to challenge sexist perceptions of sentimentality. By turning these seemingly frivolous objects and pastimes into large-scale, intentional works of art, Schapiro empowers and legitimizes women's experiences, femininity, and creativity within domestic work.

Works by this artist (1036 items)

William H. Johnson, Young Pastry Cook, ca. 1928-1930, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.693
Young Pastry Cook
Dateca. 1928-1930
oil on canvas
On view
William H. Johnson, Portrait of a Man, ca. 1935-1938, oil on burlap, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.814
Portrait of a Man
Dateca. 1935-1938
oil on burlap
On view
William H. Johnson, Breakdown with Flat Tire, ca. 1940-1941, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.587
Breakdown with Flat Tire
Dateca. 1940-1941
oil on plywood
On view
William H. Johnson, For India and China, ca. 1944-1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.662
For India and China
Dateca. 1944-1945
oil on paperboard
On view

Exhibitions

Media - 2019.15 - SAAM-2019.15_1 - 137377
Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women
May 31, 2024January 5, 2025
The artists in Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women mastered and subverted the everyday materials of cotton, felt, and wool to create deeply personal artworks.

More Artworks from the Collection

Joseph Hardin, Untitled (figure at Table, View of Legs), ca. 1978, colored pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.111
Untitled (figure at Table, View of Legs)
Dateca. 1978
colored pencil on paper
Not on view
William Zorach, (Untitled--Child's Head), 1925, pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift from the collection of the Zorach children, 1976.145.8
(Untitled – Child’s Head)
Date1925
pencil on paper
Not on view
Michael Clark, Classic Series, 1970, pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Fendrick, 1980.131.3
Classic Series
Date1970
pencil on paper
Not on view
Study for the Pushover
Date1981
pencil on paper
Not on view