The Twinning of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden 1989

Miriam Schapiro made "The Twinning of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden" using paint and collage in her signature 'femmage' style. It's a wild explosion of pattern and color, where the biblical story gets a total makeover. The paint is applied in layers, creating this rich, textured surface that feels almost like fabric. The garden comes alive with these dense, almost chaotic brushstrokes, while the figures of Adam and Eve are pieced together from bold, flat shapes. I love how Schapiro doesn't try to hide the process; you can see every cut, every brushstroke, every decision she made along the way. Look closely at the snake winding through the garden. Each segment is a different pattern, a different color, a different texture. It's like she's saying that temptation and knowledge aren't just one thing, but a whole bunch of different experiences. This really reminds me of the bold, playful spirit of Niki de Saint Phalle, someone else who wasn't afraid to mix colors, patterns, and materials in unexpected ways. Schapiro's piece shows how art can constantly remix and reimagine the stories we tell ourselves.