American artist Gladys Nilsson studied painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and was a member of the self-titled Hairy Who—a group of six artists, all graduates from SAIC who created installations together that were influenced by the politics of the 1960s and experimental art movements such as Pop and Surrealism. Nilsson’s crowded canvases and collages appear like tapestries, with vibrantly bustling compositions inspired by daily observations and human sexuality, focusing on the contradictions inherent to contemporary life and society. Very Worldly, 1967, in Glenstone’s collection, is a prime example of Nilsson’s practice with cartoon styling, an abundance of surreal subjects, and a sense of playfulness.

–Andrea DesJardins, from the Glenstone Field Guide