Sarah Slappey
Biography
Sarah Slappey (b. 1984, Columbia, South Carolina) is a Brooklyn-based artist whose paintings challenge conventional depictions of the female body. After studying painting and fine arts, Slappey developed a distinctive style that addresses societal beauty standards and the pressures placed on physical appearance. Her work focuses on fragmented limbs and surreal bodily forms, allowing for a broader exploration of identity beyond overt gender representation. Through nuanced symbolism and dark humour, Slappey transforms familiar objects—like tampons, pearls, cigarettes, and lipstick—into provocative visual narratives.
Slappey’s paintings are characterised by slick, fleshy surfaces that combine seductive allure with visceral discomfort. By focusing on limbs and tactile gestures, her work critiques the sexualization of the female form while maintaining its sensuous power. Recent solo exhibitions include Bloodline at Bernheim, London (2024), Sacrifices at Bernheim, Zurich (2022), Self Care at Sargent’s Daughters, New York (2021), and Tenderizer at Bernheim, Zurich (2020). Her pieces invite viewers into lush, surreal environments where beauty and brutality intertwine.
Her work is held in major public collections, including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C., the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami, Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain in Geneva, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, and the Orange County Museum of Art. By confronting and reclaiming the language of sensuality, Slappey’s practice offers a potent commentary on gendered representation, bodily autonomy, and the evolving narratives of contemporary femininity.
