Skip to Content
Today Open today 10–11 members | 11–5 public

Cape

A work made of oil stain and oil paint on mdf.
© 1990 Diane Simpson.

Image actions

  • A work made of oil stain and oil paint on mdf.

Date:

1990

Artist:

Diane Simpson
American, born 1935

About this artwork

Diane Simpson makes hybrid forms that blur distinctions between fashion, architecture, and sculpture. Meticulously conceived and impeccably executed, her works are inspired by historical costume, domestic furniture, utilitarian objects, and industrial design. Indeed, each of her sculptures derives from a specific source, which Simpson analyzes, revises, and abstracts through rigorous drawings. The final sculptural form is then determined by means of construction and choice of materials, which have ranged from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) to aluminum to vintage linoleum. One particular strain of Simpson’s work engages with how clothing articulates the human body by simultaneously shaping and performing identity. Cape was sparked by a European men’s garment from the mid-16th century. The rigidity of the fiberboard structure is complicated by each strut’s oblique angle; the sculpture’s airy, open-work design; and the suggestive suspension of the work at shoulder height.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Diane Simpson

Title

Cape

Place

Chicago (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1990

Medium

Oil stain and oil paint on MDF

Dimensions

94 × 114 × 34.2 cm (37 × 45 × 13 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mark and Judy Bednar

Reference Number

2013.54

Copyright

© 1990 Diane Simpson.

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Learn more

Image actions

Share