M‑O-P Button Necklace

Sondra Sherman, M-O-P Button Necklace, 1987, constructed mother-of-pearl, glass buttons, and iron wire, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Libby Cooper in memory of Lillian Bardfield, 2002.60
Sondra Sherman, M-O-P Button Necklace, 1987, constructed mother-of-pearl, glass buttons, and iron wire, 11 1⁄2 x 4 1⁄4 x 1 in. (29.2 x 10.8 x 2.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Libby Cooper in memory of Lillian Bardfield, 2002.60

Artwork Details

Title
M‑O-P Button Necklace
Artist
Date
1987
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
11 1⁄2 x 4 1⁄4 x 1 in. (29.2 x 10.8 x 2.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Libby Cooper in memory of Lillian Bardfield
Mediums
Mediums Description
constructed mother-of-pearl, glass buttons, and iron wire
Classifications
Object Number
2002.60
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2002.60

Artwork Description

Sondra Sherman plays with traditional ideas of womanhood in M-O-P Button Necklace. The title refers to mother-of-pearl, the iridescent shell used in this piece. However, the necklace, its materials, and its title evoke different aspects of gender identity. Since jewelry is meant to ornament the body, the necklace triggers thoughts of ideal beauty, a concept reinforced by the fact that mother-of-pearl comes from the sea, the birthplace of Venus. The word "mother" in the name of the shell also refers to one role that women hold in family life, while the buttons and the initials for mother-of-pearl, which spells "mop," remind us of common domestic duties performed by housewives.

Works by this artist (6 items)

View all artworks
Sondra Sherman, Armor and Amor, 1995, constructed 18k gold, sterling silver, pink cubic zirconia, and chandelier crystals, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Emily Sherby Levenson in memory of Sylvia Waldman Sacks, 2000.32A-D
Armor and Amor
Artist
Date1995
constructed 18k gold, sterling silver, pink cubic zirconia, and chandelier crystals
Not on view
Sondra Sherman, Black Jasonia Layered Drop (necklace), 2005, sterling silver, gold, and marcasite, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Susan Beech Collection, 2024.50.78, Photo by Robert Diamante
Black Jasonia Layered Drop (necklace)
Artist
Date2005
sterling silver, gold, and marcasite
Not on view
Sondra Sherman, Study: Rhodiola Rosea (brooch), 2007, steel and nail polish, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Susan Beech Collection, 2024.50.77, Photo by Robert Diamante
Study: Rhodiola Rosea (brooch)
Artist
Date2007
steel and nail polish
Not on view
Sondra Sherman, Lacrimation (pendant), 2001, 14k palladium white gold, sterling silver, glass beads, and synthetic aquamarines, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Susan Beech Collection, 2024.50.76A-B, Photo by John Wilson White
Lacrimation (pendant)
Artist
Date2001
14k palladium white gold, sterling silver, glass beads, and synthetic aquamarines
Not on view