Looking at my early wax works, I consider them paradoxically beautiful and ugly, by way of their preciousness and vulnerability. Born from a secret, intuitive place, where artists, writers, and literary figures exist simultaneously, the presence of these works is completely overwrought, often grotesque, and sometimes filled with a bitter sadness. Yet the sculptures’ charms, delicate nature, and tenderness beg for constant, caring vigilance. Acquired by Atlanta, Georgia’s @highmuseumofart in 1997, “Untitled #857,” 1997, is a hanging white wax sculpture. With the aid of High Museum of Art curator Carrie Pryzbilla, this piece was purchased with funds from the 20th Century Art Acquisition Fund. I’d had the pleasure of working with Carrie prior to when the High Museum acquired this work, as she and curator Terri Sultan of the Corcoran Gallery of Art organized the 1996/7 traveling solo exhibition “black/white/black,” which featured sixteen hanging wax works. For additional information on works included in museum public collections, please visit the new Public Collections page on our website (link in bio). #petahcoyne #contemporaryart #sculpture #womenartists #highmuseumofart #carriepryzbilla #terrisultan