Simone Leigh reworked the American pavilion through sculptural sovereignty
Reviewing Simone Leigh’s Sovereignty for Hyperallergic in May 2022, Julie Baumgardner examined how the artist transformed the United States pavilion at Venice. A thatched exterior and monumental bronze and ceramic sculptures questioned colonial representation and national display. The review foregrounded Last Garment, a washerwoman derived from a Jamaican postcard, and Leigh’s stated commitment to Black women as an audience, presenting the pavilion as an argument for self-determination through sculpture.
Hyperallergic
