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many exhibitions inside and outside
the United States, and her work has
won her space in the permanent col-
or the opening of her
lections of art centers, such as the
exhibit at the Sybaris
Museum of Contemporary Art in
Gallery in Royal Oak,
Chicago, and on the pages of publica-
Diane Simpson wore a
tions, such as Art in America.
plain black pantsuit, thinking that
"Most of my works are human scale,
would offer the least distraction from
although sometimes that becomes exag-
her sculptural forms that she readily
gerated," says Simpson, who has shown
discusses. Using domestic and indus-
her clothing forms in group exhibits at
trial materials, Simpson zeroes in on
Center Galleries in Detroit. "With many
issues involved with clothing.
of the pieces, they're free standing, so
Back in her Chicago studio,
they're almost like a personage
Left to right:
the artist talked about the
being there without the body
three-dimensional pieces and
being there."
"Sleeve #2,"
their design drawings that
Simpson, who often uses
birch plywood,
remain on view through
contradictory
materials such
linen, nylon cord.
Saturday. Suggestions of sleeves
as faux fur for an apron,
`Apron II,"
comprise the dominant theme.
thinks of her sculpture as
polyester
"I've been interested in cloth-
architectural. Just as archi-
fabric, wood.
ing for many years," says
tecture protects and shelters,
Simpson, who studied paint-
clothing becomes housing
"Formal Wear,"
ing, printmaking and drawing
for bodies.
polyester,
at the School of the Art
Except for Passover,
poplar, cotton.
Institute of Chicago but taught
Simpson houses completed
herself sculpture after earning
works in her dining room.
her master's degree in 1978.
She puts the table off to the side, and
"Clothing represents the body with-
has a display area. During the holiday,
out the body being there. It is so much
the space becomes a dining room
about who we are, who wewant to be
again so that she can be hostess for
and our roles in society. There are so
some 25 members of her family.
many ideas related to the clothing we
"A lot of the techniques I use are
wear, and throughout history, the kind
things I experienced as a woman,"
of clothing that was worn depicts so
Simpson says. "I fall back on sewing,
much about the society of the time."
braiding and wrapping. When I see a
Simpson, whose Jewish background is
form that strikes me, it becomes the
not reflected in any of her artistry, traces
basis of the work, but there are other
her interest in wearables to her early two-
ideas that come into play. I want the
dimensional images showing the human
way that I connect elements to be
figure. As a young child, she drew pic-
apparent rather than hidden, and I
tures to capture the Jewish holidays.
want the viewer to be part of the
She later became captivated with
process and understand how each
Japanese armor and the connections
piece was constructed."
between the parts making up the armor,
moved on to ancient warriors and the
The sculpture of Diane Simpson
way materials draped as they fought,
will be shown through Saturday,
and explored European dress as shown
June 30, at the Sybaris Gallery,
in lithographs from specific periods.
202 E. Third St., Royal Oak.
The artist's earlier series, including
(248) 544-3388.
one on headgear, have brought her to

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