Sheila Pree Bright Plastic Bodies, 2003, 2007
Six prints on dye sub fabric
96 x 76.8 inches, each
Sheila Pree Bright is an internationally acclaimed Lens-based artist known for her thought-provoking Plastic Bodies series. The collection is a compelling exploration of society’s complex relationship with body image, identity, and self-perception with a powerful blend of artistry and social commentary. Bright’s Plastic Bodies series challenges viewers to confront the impact of media, beauty standards, and consumer culture on our perceptions of self and others. Bright skillfully brings to the forefront the question of self-identity and the impact of digital enhancement in shaping public perception. The work uses the Barbie doll’s history as a parody to show the doll’s impact on girls and women globally, specifically women of color.
This thought-provoking series, created in 2003, has circled back to contemporary times with the hype of the Barbie movie directed by Greta Gerwig. Bright hopes these images take on a different significance that will spark meaningful conversations by reintroducing the work based on the ever-changing concepts of feminism, identity, gender roles, beauty standards, and artificial intelligence.
Artist Bio
Sheila Pree Bright is an International Lens-based artist and the mind behind the celebrated book #1960Now: Photographs of Civil Rights Activists and Black Lives Matter Protests. Bright’s expansive artworks weave deep insights into contemporary culture. Her iconic series include Plastic Bodies, Suburbia, #1960Now, Invisible Empire, Young Americans, and an evocative portrayal of the 90s Hip Hop scene.
Her artistry finds a spot in the compilation and exhibit “Posing Beauty in African American Culture.” The 2014 documentary “Through the Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People” and the 2016 film “Election Day: Lens Across America” showcase her impact on the world of photography. Among the spaces that have exhibited her works are the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Museum, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Saatchi Gallery in London, Harvard Art Museums, and the International Center of Photography in New York, to mention a few.
Bright’s accomplishments are recognized in major publications, such as The Washington Post and The New York Times. Additionally, she has been honored with several nominations, commissions, and awards. A notable accolade is the Picturing South commission from the High Museum of Art for her series, Invisible Empire.
Her work is in esteemed collections, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge MA, and the Do Good Fund, Columbus, GA.