Our Studio Sunday artist this week is Lorna Simpson. Simpson has been a renowned artist since the 1980s and 90s, producing works in photography and multimedia, as well as more traditional means. The artist’s works are often narrative, and present honest meditations on feminism, black identity, history, and collective memory. Simpson currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Simpson’s studio looks quite bright and airy in this photo -- the artist’s monochromatic works seem a perfect complement to the cool, sleek space. Given the widely varied nature of the artist’s practice, I can imagine that this studio is a space of experimentation with lots of different media and techniques. I would also imagine that at least some of the production of Simpson’s work happens outside of this immediate space.

The artist is perched atop a stack of stools -- the place is apparently well-furnished for both the artist and any visitors that she might invite in to her studio space. I love the long table next to Simpson -- it looks like it’s facing out toward a window here. I can imagine the studio space getting a lot of natural light, and I wonder what the view is like. Whether the window looks out onto green space or city, I can imagine it being a source of inspiration for the artist.

Simpson’s work currently exists in the collections of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Walker Art Center, and the Miami Museum of Art.

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