Alice Peach's 'Still Curly' exhibition at Iowa in New York transforms popsicle sticks into sculptural muses

Alice Peach's exhibition 'Still Curly' at Iowa in New York features new sculptures crafted from popsicle sticks, arranged in modular formations that evoke skeletal poses and bodily curves. These pale, flat sticks are either wall-mounted or suspended from the ceiling, creating dynamic arrangements that reference corsets, hats, and petticoats—objects exploring the tension between self-adornment and conformity. Each sculpture honors specific muses from Peach's youth: Katherine, known for her fearless ocean plunges and red lipstick; Sarah, a bookish figure surrounded by volumes in her home library; and Phyllis Yampolsky, an activist who organized the 'Hall of Issues' exhibition at New York's Judson Church in the 1960s. Yampolsky's own painting hangs near Peach's drawings in the gallery. The sculptures incorporate 'spinners'—organic forms made of overlapping boot shapes—that suggest frozen motion. The title 'Still Curly' plays with dual meanings, referencing both hair curls and capriciousness, echoing themes in Domenico Modugno's 1950s ballad 'La donna riccia'. The exhibition continues until May 3, 2026, presenting these works as odes to feminine power and independence.