Interior Effects, 2018

“Liz Shepherd’s exploration of 1970s Heywood-Wakefield catalogues inspired her new installation Hers & His: 2018. Shepherd was struck by the gendered language used by the company, which produced furniture in Gardner, Massachusetts from 1897 to 1979. For example, one passage reads: “A snug corner, a deep welcoming chair, a rack of books, an apple—and the rich warmth of hand-finished wood make this a man’s haven. And when he’s not taking his ease, the lady of the manor can nip in for a nap.” Shepherd based her wall-mounted, silkscreened plywood couches, chairs, and ottomans on the company’s iconic New England designs, considering the way colors, patterns, and furniture have been advertised as male or female based on cultural norms.”

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Interior Effects, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA