Penny Shapiro

As Ross Simonini discusses for Interview Magazine, Beasley holds onto materials until they have completely worn out, and thus as Beasley says himself becomes “a sculpture.” 

I often think about this quote as a defining aspect of Beasley’s practice as an artist. I find myself constantly looking back to these words when thinking about this entire exhibition, “A body, revealed,” as a whole. “My Brother’s Teeth,” “Bust,” “Mophead,” and “Slab (Site/Picked a Constellation)” are prime examples of Beasley’s ability to use any material as a medium for sculpture and art, as he uses his brother’s actual old teeth, a motocross neck brace, a used mop, and garments to create complex compositions. Ultimately, by reestablishing and transforming objects of daily life, Beasley can both connect to his viewers on a personal level, but also send them back years upon years into the historical landscape of each medium.

The body is revealed as a result of Beasley’s manipulation and usage of house dresses, kaftans, t-shirts, socks, du-rags, cotton, soil, bandanas, altered garments, and altered fitted caps, as if they were paint and pastels. Each used piece of clothing and garment evokes a different aspect of the human body and human experience. In  “Slab (Site/Picked a Constellation)” I am called on to think about the relevance of clothing and garments, and their ability to tell an important story about someone’s life. These items are an extension of a human’s physical existence. 

In my own personal project, I aimed to explore and react to these concepts. 

As someone who loves to create abstract art, I wanted to expand on my own work by interweaving Beasley’s tradition of repurposing old and raw materials into my traditional practice. I have created diptychs connected to one another by rendered fabric, jewelry, and string. I specifically made use of old broken jewelry that once had significance in my life. I have given these broken pieces of metal and beads a new purpose. They now live on in the composition of these artworks and hold a newfound relevance. Just as Beasley can recall the time in which he bought each housdress found in  “Slab (Site/Picked a Constellation),” I can also trace back the time I wore each piece of jewelry found in these paintings. Within each piece I have also represented a different part of the body. The painting to the left includes a drawing of a hand and the painting on the right includes a drawing of a face; however, both are supposed to be somewhat abstracted to the viewer. Just as Beasley does in his work, I wanted to explore ways in which the body can be recognized, whether through literal or abstract representation.