Upcycled denim jeans
14" diameter / 25" diameter / 32" diameter
In creating the Ropasphere Vieja series Sherry Davis transformed upcycled discarded jeans into dense spheres. The unexpected weight of these spheres (18, 50, and 100 pounds) is meant to physically demonstrate the environmental burden of waste – encouraging viewers to confront overconsumption and its consequences. Davis is also suggesting that there is potential in waste – that it can be transformed into something useful and beautiful. At the same time, the sculptures are tributes to the working people who previously wore (and wore out) the jeans that were used in their creation. she would like to imagine a time when these laborers can finally take a break, relax, and cop a squat on the rescued denim spheres.
Note that the name of the series was inspired by Ropa Vieja – the stewed beef dish which traces its origins to the Iberian Peninsula. The name translates to “old clothes.”
Selected Exhibition History
FIBER 2025, Silvermine Gallery, New Canaan, CT
May 10, 2025 - Jun 19, 2025
Shadow Matter|Shadows Matter, Art|VS, Southold, NY
Oct 13, 2024 - Nov 11, 2024
Harvesting Memories in Blue: Related Work and Documentation
11 West Gallery, Riverhead, NY
Sept 21, 2024 - Oct 13, 2024
Wide Open 12, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Brooklyn, NY
Jun 18, 2022 - July 17, 2022
Dan’s Reimagined, Andy Tarshis Fine Art Gallery, Riverhead, NY
Feb 18, 2022 - Mar 4, 2022