Liza Lou,
American, born 1969

Kitchen, 1991–95

Beads, 203.2 x 279 x 355.6 Collections of Peter Norton and Eileen Harris Norton, Santa Monica

Using millions of shiny glass beads crafted in the Czech Republic, Liza Lou creates environments inspired by the American suburbs. In Kitchen she magically transforms a familiar environment into a tableau of extraordinary objects that dazzle the eye and fully engage our sense of sight. This domestic interior is both an appreciation and a critical reading of woman’s work, of popular culture, and of the relationship of art to the everyday world. Unexpected juxtapositions and surprising details reveal allusions to van Gogh’s Starry Night in the swirling dishwater, to Carl Andr?’s floor tiles, to Richard Artschwager’s wood grains, and even to the poetry of Emily Dickinson. The artist’s use of beading also evokes cultural traditions such as those of North American Indians or the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century.