Ann Pellicer, a sculptor recognized in Mexico for her large-scale copper works, has died at 79. Mexico’s culture ministry announced her death on X on May 6th, but did not report the cause.
On May 15th, Mexico City’s MASA Galeria will open an eponymous exhibition of the artist’s work, and shared condolences on Instagram. “Ana was more than an extraordinary artist—she was a brilliant soul whose mind, kindness, creativity, and presence touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” the gallery wrote. “Her grace, sense of humor, and unwavering passion for her work and life will remain in our hearts always.”
Pellicer only gained international attention in recent years, decades after completing her most ambitious work—a set of oversized jewelry sculptures created for the Statue of Liberty. She finished the work in 1986, commemorating the statue’s 100-year anniversary. The giant copper sculptures included a necklace and a pair of earrings. The sculptures were exhibited in 2017 at House of Gaga in Mexico City, drawing overdue attention to her practice.
Born in 1946 in Mexico City, Pellicer moved to Santa Clara del Cobre in the region of Michoacán in the 1970s, where she met her late husband, sculptor James Metcalf. The two artists founded an educational center to champion pre-Hispanic copper-smithing techniques and train local artisans, particularly women.
Pellicer’s monumental works for the Statue of Liberty—including Collar de Tejos de Santa Clara, Anillo Liliputense Producto de Exportación, Arracada Plana de Huetamo, La Cadena de Oaxaca, and Prendedor Etrusco Cuanajense (both 1978–86)—were produced in collaboration with the women she trained there.
Throughout her life, Pellicer’s work was largely overshadowed by that of her husband. However, in 2018, Pellicer’s massive 36-foot necklace was included in “Body Armor,” an exhibition at MoMA PS1 in New York. The show helped change perceptions of her work, reframing its political and material themes. In recognition of her work, she received the Gertrudis Bocanegra Medal that same year, awarded to women advancing the development of the state of Michoacán.
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