Formal Wear by Diane Simpson at The American Academy of Arts and Letters

Underskirt, 1986 

Oil stain and paint on MDF, cotton mesh 

Courtesy of the artist and Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago

    Diane Simpson’s Formal Wear, spread across two floors at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, felt like walking through a spatial sketchbook, each work being translated from drawing into geometry. The show traces Simpson’s decades-long dialogue between clothing and architecture, showcasing how the nature of fabric can serve as both support systems and expressions of form.

    I was especially drawn to the play of distortion in her pieces, the way geometry becomes fluid, softened while maintaining its complexity. Underskirt (1986), with its green lattice and gauzy cotton scrim, looked like scaffolding and fabric that was beautifully suspended. Amish Bonnet (1992), is perched on a shelf, with brass tubing bending into an almost breathing curve. Lastly, Window Dressing (2007–08) composed of hard industrial materials, somehow evokes the softness of cloth, creating tension between rigidity and drape. Her works reminded me of industrial design prototypes, objects whose precision carries quiet emotion. 

    

    Simpson’s mastery of materials is deeply evident in her work, controlled yet deeply human. Her sculptures don’t imitate garments but reimagine how structure might inhabit space as if they were built to stand on its own, inviting interpretation rather than delivering a fixed message. Leaving Formal Wear, I felt both grounded and inspired; Simpson transforms geometry into something that evokes warmth, proving that discipline and distortion can coexist beautifully.

Window Dressing, Window 6: Collar & Bib-Deco (2007/2008)
Linoleum, paint on aluminum and wood, industrial fiber
Courtesy of the artist and Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago