Mary Kelly's 'Corpus' Reexamines Aging Femininity at Vielmetter Los Angeles
On view at Vielmetter Los Angeles until October 15, Mary Kelly's installation 'Corpus' represents its first U.S. showing in over thirty years. Originally created in 1990 for her 'Interim' series, it first appeared at the New Museum in New York. 'Corpus' consists of thirty panels that combine silkscreen and collage, drawing on Jean-Martin Charcot's classification of female hysteria. Through powerful imagery of clothing and handwritten texts, the installation examines the lived experiences of older women, shifting the narrative from reproductive concerns to femininity beyond motherhood. In a 2011 interview, Kelly remarked that "being a woman is only a brief period in one's life." The work critiques modern sexist culture and questions reproductive justice frameworks, maintaining its striking relevance.
Key facts
- Mary Kelly's 'Corpus' installation is on view at Vielmetter Los Angeles through October 15
- The work was originally created in 1990 and first shown at New York's New Museum
- 'Corpus' consists of 30 silkscreened and collaged panels organized in five sets of six
- The installation references Jean-Martin Charcot's 19th-century classification of female hysteria
- Kelly avoids depicting the female body, using clothing and text instead
- The work was created ten years after her 'Post-Partum Document' (1973-79)
- This marks the first U.S. showing of 'Corpus' in over 30 years
- Kelly stated in a 2011 interview that 'being a woman is only a brief period in one's life'
Entities
Artists
- Mary Kelly
- Jean-Martin Charcot
Institutions
- Vielmetter Los Angeles
- New Museum
- Art Monthly
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- New York