Sheila Hicks and the long reach of fiber at SFMOMA
Published on 08/22/2026 at 14:18 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Sheila Hicks centers fiber as sculpture, and her practice stays unusually visible in museum space. New Work: Sheila Hicks at SFMOMA runs through August 9, 2026, according to the museum's exhibition page.
The SFMOMA installation
The SFMOMA press release says the presentation is Hicks's first solo exhibition at the museum and occupies Floors 4 and 5. It also places the project inside the museum's New Work series, with a site-specific installation and an outdoor commission.
The museum dates the exhibition from August 9, 2025 to August 9, 2026. That gives Hicks a full-year institutional platform in San Francisco, not a short-term display.
Why the show matters now
Hicks has built a long career around woven form, scale shifts, and material density. The museum describes her work as moving from handheld frames to monumental installations that integrate with architecture.
The same release notes that she has been based in Paris since 1964 and has shown in major international contexts, including the 2014 Whitney Biennial and the 2017 Venice Biennale. That places the SFMOMA show inside a long institutional record rather than a one-off return.
All news and background on Sheila Hicks
See more reporting, exhibition updates and collection context around Sheila Hicks in one place.
How the work is built
Hicks works across natural and synthetic materials, especially fiber, thread, and wrapped elements. The result is often tactile but architectonic, with color and structure carrying equal weight.
SFMOMA's text also underscores her studio continuity in Paris and her habit of reworking elements from earlier and recent bodies of work. That process-driven approach explains why her installations can feel both cumulative and immediate.
Where the artist stands now
Sheila Hicks currently has New Work: Sheila Hicks on view at SFMOMA through August 9, 2026.
Sheila Hicks at a glance
- Artist: Sheila Hicks
- Medium / Genre: Fiber art, sculpture, installation
- Born: 1934, Hastings, Nebraska, United States
- Place(s) of practice: Paris
- Active since: 1950s
- Key work groups: Minimes, bâtons, talking sticks, New Work
- Current/last exhibition: New Work: Sheila Hicks - San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, August 9, 2025 - August 9, 2026
- Major collections: Centre Pompidou (Paris), MoMA (New York), Tate (London)
- Awards: Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (2022), U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts (2023)
- Next date: currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about Sheila Hicks
Where is Sheila Hicks currently on view?
New Work: Sheila Hicks is on view at SFMOMA through August 9, 2026. The museum lists Floors 4 and 5 as the exhibition site.
What is the current exhibition at SFMOMA called?
The exhibition is titled New Work: Sheila Hicks. SFMOMA describes it as her first solo exhibition at the museum.
Which collections hold Sheila Hicks works?
SFMOMA's release cites major international visibility, and Hicks's work is represented in leading public collections such as Centre Pompidou, MoMA and Tate.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
