"The still life has long been used in painting as a visual metaphor for considerations of materiality, the conspicuous consumption of wealth, and the fleeting nature of life. Beth Lipman (born 1971) uses the vocabulary of the still life, particularly the table setting with its various vessels, foods, and associated objects, in complex sculptures created in clear glass. For Lipman, the still life operates as a commentary on our current consumer culture.
Precarious Possessions is an installation of life-sized Victorian furniture recreated in glass sculpture. Each of the three works, Crib, Cradle, and Sideboard with Blue China represents a particular moment in our lifespan and reminds us of our ties to the objects which define us through societal conventions."
Precarious Possessions will be on view through December 2014 at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, Florida.
