Maria Britton's 'Second Sleep' exhibition transforms bedsheets into abstract textile works at Halsey Institute

Maria Britton's textile artwork, titled 'Draperies,' is made from recycled bedsheets, skillfully layered and pleated into abstract shapes that look like wall-mounted drapes. Her pieces explore themes like memory, dreams, labor, gender, and the concept of value, serving as reflective elements. The exhibition 'Second Sleep' showcases over a decade of Britton's artistic journey, focusing on her innovative designs and techniques, moving away from traditional methods. By combining everyday materials with bright abstraction, her work celebrates creativity and transformation. The term 'second sleep' references a pre-Industrial Revolution sleep pattern that allowed for nighttime creativity, disrupted by modern electricity. The show, funded by the South Carolina Arts Commission, is at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art until July 25, 2026.