Known for trompe l’oeil ceramic sculptures of pantry staples and domestic life, Stephanie Shih has further entrenched her largely culinary-focused repertoire in material culture. In two exhibitions, the Brooklyn-based artist (previously) embraces mosaic as she nests small glass fragments and pottery sherds into vivid compositions that explore production and labor.
Shih’s architectural work on view at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, draws on the Midwestern grotto tradition with a pagoda-style structure. Broken porcelain dinnerware, polished stone, and ceramic sherds uncovered in a Chinese fishing village on Monterey Bay cloak the facade, while hundreds of crowd-sourced knick-knacks and figures embellish the rooftop.
Titled “Toy Building (1915–1939),” the six-story sculpture reinterprets a historic spot in downtown Milwaukee that a Chinese immigrant owned and once housed a dancehall, restaurant, and various businesses. A collective portrait of the Chinese diaspora, Shih’s work pieces together archaeological, vintage, and contemporary objects into an eclectic array that bridges the mundane and divine.
The artist continues her more recent venture into mosaic in Invisible Hand, a solo exhibition opening this week at SOCO Gallery. A wide, produce promotional in colorful stained glass, “Carolina’s Pride Peaches” depicts a woman marveling at the ripe fruit. As a statement from the gallery says, Shih directs us to consumption, portraying the luscious commodity once it’s been harvested by an unacknowledged laborer.
Invisible Hand pairs the vintage-style advertisement with the artist’s ceramic fare. Included are typical grocery store finds like a carton of Tropicana and Smucker’s jelly, along with popular fast food remnants like a box from Kentucky Fried Chicken. The seemingly mundane nature of the objects lends itself to one of the artist’s enduring questions: who’s behind the conveniences and sustenance we’ve come to expect and rely on?
As conversations about immigration and labor take center stage, Shih’s work reflects the long history of U.S. policy targeting essential workers. She references the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred Chinese immigration for 10 years and largely targeted those who would occupy low-wage jobs. “This act set the stage for a broader pattern of racialized labor exploitation that continues to shape the U.S.’s immigration and labor policies today,” the artist adds.
Invisible Hand runs from September 18 to November 8 in Charlotte. If you’re in Sheboygan, you can see “Toy Building (1915–1939)” as part of A Beautiful Experience: The Midwest Grotto Tradition through May 10, 2026. Explore more of the artist’s work on her website and Instagram.
