Petah Coyne: Flowers, Wax, Feathers, and Mythology Combine Into Dramatic Sculptures

Sculptor Petah Coyne treats her materials as a sort of language with which to share stories, drawing inspiration from literary sources as diverse as Greek mythology and Charles Dickens. (Untitled #1181) Dante’s Daphne (2004–6), which was given to SFMOMA in memory of the poet Leslie Scalapino, is made from an array of unconventional materials including feathers, velvet, wax, silk flowers, black spray paint, and pearl hatpins.