Untitled (Stack of Books) c. 1980

Stella Waitzkin, an American artist who worked most prolifically in the latter half of the 20th century, created this stack of cast resin books. Waitzkin’s pieces invite us to consider the book as a symbol, rather than a source of knowledge. After attending law school, Waitzkin became fascinated by the occult, and ancient history, and these themes feature in her artistic practice. With her sculptures, Waitzkin created alternative narratives, and subverted traditional understandings of the domestic space, challenging the traditional roles of women, such as herself, in postwar America. "I am interested in the psychic, magic, and alchemical," she stated, "I want to imbue the objects with this power." The artist’s books evoke a sense of nostalgia and memory. What do these volumes hold? Whose stories do they tell? Waitzkin transforms an everyday object into a source of wonder, inviting us to consider the hidden dimensions of knowledge and experience.