R.S.V.P. Sculptures Activated by the Artist and Maren Hassinger in Performance Piece – Nylon Mesh and Maren Hassinger 1977

Senga Nengudi made this performance piece using nylon mesh and herself with Maren Hassinger. I am drawn to Nengudi's use of soft, flexible materials in conjunction with the body. There’s a give and take, a process of mutual shaping. It's not just the object that defines the space, but the movement and interaction that brings it to life. Here, the black nylon mesh sculptures are activated by the bodies of the artists. The mesh stretches and yields, while the bodies find resistance and support. Look at the way the arms of the woman standing extend into the mesh. It mirrors the lines created by the structure, as if she were an extension of the sculpture. The performance doesn't seem fixed but is a constant exploration of boundaries. This resonates with the work of artists like Eva Hesse, who also experimented with unconventional materials and challenged traditional notions of sculpture. Nengudi’s work invites us to consider art as an evolving conversation, a space for testing limits and embracing multiple meanings.