Image: Courtesy of Doyle
Miriam Schapiro’s Flash & Annie Series #2 sold for $4,800 at Doyle’s Fine Art auction on Feb. 12, 2025 in New York City. Born in Toronto to Russian Jewish parents, Schapiro was encouraged to pursue art at a young age, following in the footsteps of her artist father. After relocating to Brooklyn, N.Y. during the Great Depression, Schapiro enrolled in art classes at the Museum of Modern Art.
Schapiro’s career as a full-time artist took off after returning to New York City from graduate school. Her work, which spanned four decades, transcended many movements, including Abstract Expressionism and her signature “central core” imagery. In the 1960s, she became one of the first artists to use a computer to create her work. Last month, ICA Miami opened an exhibition highlighting that pivotal era of Schapiro’s work, showcasing her ahead of the times tech-driven feminist art.
Her innovative art didn’t stop there; in the 1970s, Schapiro became a leading figure in the Pattern and Decoration movement, calling it “femmage”—a style of art that collaged materials like cloth, paint and fabric. In addition to incorporating feminism into her art, Schapiro spearheaded various initiatives, such as the Feminist Art Movement, to help pave the way for female artists in a male-dominated craft. While a successful artist in her own right, with exhibits at prestigious galleries and numerous museums, she was also involved in helping other artists break into the industry.
Some of our other favorites, from Doyle’s Fine Art auction on Feb. 12, 2025 in New York City, appear throughout the issue.
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