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 (66 items)

Steve Fitch, Untitled (Drive-In: Black Screen), 1973, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.532, ©1973, Steve Fitch
Untitled (Drive-In: Black Screen)
Date1973
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Steve Fitch, Truckstop waitress, Highway 66, Gallup, New Mexico, 1972, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.521, ©1972, Steve Fitch
Truckstop waitress, Highway 66, Gallup, New Mexico
Date1972
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Steve Fitch, Motel, Highway 85, Deadwood, South Dakota, 1972, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.516, ©1972, Steve Fitch
Motel, Highway 85, Deadwood, South Dakota
Date1972
gelatin silver print
Not 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

Bently
Dateca. 1975
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Lure of the Sea
Dateca. 1975
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Untitled, ca. 1945-1950, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Lewis and Jean Greenblatt, 2002.86.9
Untitled
Dateca. 1945-1950
gelatin silver print
Not on view