Dee Clements: Late Bloomer

Disassembled laundry baskets, dyed reeds and ceramics come together in a series of woven sculptural forms that examine how emotional labor and domestic work are both carried and inherited. Chicago-based artist Dee Clements uses these materials to question the cultural value placed on craft traditions, particularly those rooted in fiber work and basketry, in her exhibition Late Bloomer.

On view from May 22 through August 7 at Nina Johnson’s Front Gallery, Dee Clements: Late Bloomer features several free-standing sculptures and four wall pieces that explore the basket not only as a vessel, but as a metaphor for labor, identity and lineage. The works reflect on the gendered history of domestic tasks, incorporating fragmented everyday objects into bold compositions that blur the boundaries between fine art and traditional craft.

Clements holds an MFA in 3D Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. With over two decades of experience as a weaver and sculptor, her practice engages with feminist and ethnographic themes while challenging the conventional hierarchies that separate craft from contemporary art. This is her second solo exhibition with the gallery.