Nasher Conservator Claire Taggart and Curator Dr. Catherine Craft worked with artist Nancy Grossman on restoring her Untitled, Head Sculpture, a process initiated by Nancy Nasher's memory of the sculpture's original appearance in her parents' home.

Using Grossman's archival drawing of the work, Taggart and Craft were able to confirm Nancy Nasher's belief that elements of the harness on the sculpture had shifted forward. Working carefully, so as not to place any stress on the the leather, Taggart worked with Lab Technician Nicole Berasteqiu to reposition the sculpture's harness so that its straps now sit across the nose and under the mouth.

Craft notes the repositioning of the harness—which contains, restrains, and protects the head—creates a profound change by adding tension and complexity to an already powerful work.

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For over five decades, Nancy Grossman (American, b.1940) has created a powerful body of work that combines exquisite craftsmanship with a long-standing exploration of the human condition. In her two- and three-dimensional works that include drawing, painting, printmaking, collage and assemblage, Grossman has consistently explored the use and misuse of power and violence, often focusing on the trappings of constraint. She began her celebrated head sculptures in the 1960s, and this provocative series embodies the central aspects of Grossman’s art: an embrace of gender ambiguity, an interest in formal contradiction and conflict, and a rich sensuality. Grossman‘s work is represented in numerous museum collections and has been featured in exhibitions worldwide, including A Tradition of Revolution at the Nasher in 2018 and Sensation of Space organized by the Nasher at The Warehouse in Dallas in 2019. One of Grossman’s spectacular head sculptures has belonged to the Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection since 1969.