Embodiment

NAMES Project Aids Memorial Quilt

Conceived of by gay rights activist Cleve Jones, this quilt memorializes and honors the thousands of lives lost during the AIDS epidemic. Imbued with intimacy and softness, the quilt renders visible the immense toll of the epidemic, rejecting the…

Victory Beyond Sims

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs commissioned Vinnie Bagwell to create this statue to replace the sculpture of J. Marion Sims, credited as the "founder of modern gynecology." Sims achieved this designation by performing violent…

A Subtlety

In this large scale instillation, Kara Walker brings attention to the central role of sugar in US slavery while simultaneously calling out the ongoing exploitation and sexualization of the Black female body.

Indigurrito

In this performance, Nao Bustamante fastens a burrito to her strap on, daring white men in the audience to take a bite. The performance challenges white men to reckon with their hand in the genocide and continued oppression of Indigenous people.

The Arch of Hysteria

The Arch of Hysteria subverts the feminine gendering of hysteria by depicting a masculine figure, curved in a way to evoke the convulsions and contortions associated with nineteenth century madness.

Public Cervix Announcement

In this provocative piece, Annie Sprinkes inserts a speculum into here cervix and invites audience members to peer inside. Through this act, Sprinkles attempts to demystify and normalize the female body.

Self-Portrait/Nursing

One part of a self-portraying triptych piece. In this image, Opie evokes the imagery of "Madonna and Child," staging innocence, purity, and softness. Meanwhile, the word "pervert" remains etched into her skin.

Chicken Knickers

Positioning a raw chicken approximate to her vuvla, Sarah Lucas critiques the sexual objectification of women, nuancing the boundaries of intimacy, consumption, and desire

Akua'ba

The Akua'ba is a fertility doll primarily derived from Ghana. Young women carry these dolls with them in the hopes of conceiving a child.

"RSVP" Series

In this piece, Senga Nengudi centers the body by synthesizing dance with instillation. Performers navigate and manipulate the sand-filled pantyhose, evoking the elasticity and resiliency of the Black female body.

Dublin Core

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Collection Items