Donnamaria Bruton

Interpretation

In these monotypes from Donnamaria Bruton’s Domestic Series, headless figures are surrounded by an apron, broom, bowl, purse, and heels. Bruton both honors and critiques housework here, recognizing its importance while calling to mind the inequities of gender, class, and race it often reveals. Bruton’s grandmother worked as a maid, personally informing the artist’s understanding of domestic work.      

To make these prints, Bruton applied pastel to a non-porous plate, overlaid it with paper, and ran it through a press.

Acquisition note

These prints from Donnamaria Bruton’s Domestic Series came to the museum as gifts from Cade Tompkins Projects, a Providence gallery, while another two prints from the series were purchased from Tompkins. Museum curators and gallerists often work together over time, and combining gifts and purchases is not uncommon. 

These works were acquired as the museum was developing the exhibition Shahzia Sikander: Extraordinary Realities (2021–2022). Sikander and Bruton were close friends and their practices informed each another.

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