Cowrie Shells and Other TreasuresPrint Works by Christy Sheffield Sanford

Cowrie Shells and Other Treasures

Curated by Dene Grigar

This exhibition of 16 books and three journals containing Christy Sheffield Sanford's poetry and prose marks the first time The NEXT has showcased print publications in an exhibition. However, in light of Sanford's long history of artistic output and a career as an editor and designer, it makes sense to do so. It also makes sense to provide visitors with a more complete understanding of an art practice, one that developed alongside the rise of computing devices and maintained a strong presence in both the print and digital worlds. In combination with the forthcoming Christy Sheffield Sanford Collection that will be added to The NEXT in late spring 2025, this exhibition deftly shows that writers can and do know how to leverage technologies and mediums for the purpose of human expression. In this broad approach to writing, Sanford joins many other born-digital pioneers collected in The NEXT, like Stephanie Strickland, Michael Joyce, Richard Holeton, Rob Swigart, and Sarah Smith. For this reason, the exhibition serves as a proof of concept for how The NEXT will feature the print output of other artists.

The title of this exhibition alludes to Sanford's special edition book, Cowrie Shell Piece. The lush use of language and sensuality that runs throughout her work fit well with the symbolism carried by the cowrie whose shells evoke feminine sexuality and rebirth and, so, were collected for their magical power. The hand-made book, numbered 66/175 and adorned by three of shells of the cowrie, is as precious to us today as a memoriam of the growing power of women's voices in the late 20th and early 21st centuries and the ability to speak unflinchingly about our desires and ambitions.

Looking at the way in which we present Sanford's books, you will notice that they are aligned in a carousel in an angle where visitors can see the books' spines. We took this approach to avoid repeating the current practice of showing books in an online store. Additionally, in keeping with the virtuality of The NEXT, we want to showcase them so that they appear to be 3D objects, as they exist in the physical world, rather merely show flat 2D images of their covers. Making it possible for visitors to turn the books and read the writing on the front and back covers also maintains the interactive experience we wish to imbue to all archives in The NEXT.

We would like to acknowledge the excellent work and vision of Holly Slocum, who designed and coded the exhibition, and Greg Philbrook, who programmed it for The NEXT. And of course, we thank Christy Sheffield Sanford for trusting us with her art.