Museum Acquisition Liza Lou's 'Closet' (1997–1998) now in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington

The National Gallery of Art has acquired Closet (1997–1998), one of five major beaded installations made by Lou in the 1990s. It joins Blue (2015–2016), a monochromatic red, hand-beaded canvas by Lou in the National Gallery’s collection.

Closet is an outstanding example of the artist’s practice during the late 1990s. Conceived as both an intimate portrait of a marriage and a universal portrayal of daily life, Lou reproduced the utility closet of Joel and Sherry Mallin, who donated the work to the National Gallery. For a one-year period, the Mallins sent their discarded household items to the artist, from empty cleaning bottles and paint cans to old tennis shoes and board games and Lou selected discreet objects for their evocative meanings. Using brightly colored glass beads, Lou transformed every surface, including the doors and shelves of the original closet. The result is a radiant, light-reflecting sculpture that transforms an everyday space into a glittering domestic tableau that is both private and public.