Beverly Semmes 'Body Shop' at Official Welcome Blends Textiles and Feminism

Beverly Semmes's exhibition 'Body Shop' at Official Welcome in Los Angeles features nine mixed-media assemblages that combine painting, drawing, sculpture, textile, and photography. The works, all from 2025, are pinned to walls with T-pins in torso-like shapes. Central to Semmes's practice is the ongoing 'FRP' (Feminist Responsibility Project) series, which uses images from Penthouse and fashion magazines. Key works include 'Nikie with Ugg,' featuring model Nikie from Semmes's magazine collections, and 'Duck Slippers,' the largest piece, which incorporates faux fur and luxury slippers. The exhibition explores themes of the body, materiality, and identity, using humor and play to destabilize fixed forms. Semmes's work has been shown previously at Official Welcome, with 'Duck Slippers' installed differently in past iterations. The show runs at the gallery located in Los Angeles.