Untitled (Study)

This sculpture is part of a collection of small works that offer insight into Claire Zeisler’s experimental and dedicated textile-based practice. Composed of thread, wool, suede, and stones, these works—often made while the artist watched television in bed—exemplify her material and technical investigations. In a 1983 conversation with craft historian Janet Koplos, Zeisler explained: “Experimentation is the most important thing an artist does, and you should continue to experiment as long as you work.” Later in the interview, she expanded upon this notion in describing her small sculptures, “I kind of ad lib in the small pieces, which I never do in the big ones. . . the small pieces are really me.” The handheld scale of the works, in marked contrast to her large, even monumental sculptures, such as Red Preview (1969) and Private Affair I (1986), reflect their more intimate fabrication process.