Popova 1992

Miriam Schapiro's 'Popova' is a vibrant work of color and shape where geometric abstraction meets the suggestion of the figure. The composition, with its bright yellow coat and orange scarf, creates a focal point amid a background of dynamic, angular forms in shades of purple, grey and black. Schapiro engages with the legacy of Russian Constructivist artist, Lyubov Popova, whom the title references. Yet Schapiro reclaims abstraction through a feminist lens, integrating patterns and colors traditionally associated with domestic craft. The fragmented shapes and bold contrasts disrupt any fixed perspective, echoing the shifting social and artistic landscapes of the 20th century. The materiality, visible in the texture of the paint, emphasizes the artwork’s physical presence. This interplay between surface and depth, form and color, invites us to question the boundaries between art and craft, abstraction and representation, challenging conventional hierarchies within the history of art.