Billie Zangewa

Field of Dreams is a solo exhibition featuring new and recent works by artist Billie Zangewa. Across her body of work, Zangewa creates intricate collages composed of hand-stitched fragments of raw silk. Her use of this material speaks to the transformative nature of the work itself. Silk, as the “leftovers” of the chrysalis process, is a material created through transformation; it’s what remains and is illustrative of Billie Zangewa’s creative process of metamorphosing life’s challenges and complex emotions into art. Both the artist and the material share the process of transformation.

The works in Field of Dreams are a departure from Zangewa’s recent figurative compositions that center on themes of domestic life. During the pandemic, Zangewa shifted her gaze to a ponderance of the human condition and the interconnectivity of all living things. These multimedia works also call attention to the sociopolitical challenges facing societies today and the way these influences impact individuals and whole communities from one generation to the next.

On view for the first time in this exhibition, Zangewa introduces beveled, antiqued mirrors designed to echo the organic shapes of the silk portrait, creating an immersive and reflective experience, both literally and metaphorically.

Billie Zangewa: Field of Dreams is organized by SITE SANTA FE and curated by Brandee Caoba. Billie Zangewa: Field of Dreams is made possible through the generous support of SITE SANTA FE Board of Directors, SITE SANTA FE Exhibition Fund, Suzanne McFayden, The Rubio Butterfield Foundation, and Rosina Yue. Additional funding support is graciously provided by the Green Family Foundation.

Billie Zangewa, Ode to Joy, 2024, hand-stitched silk collage, 39.37 x 103.54 inches, Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London.