The centerpiece of Vaginal Davis’s latest exhibition, Magnificent Product, at MoMA PS1 features an enormous phallus cleverly positioned within a rotating bed, known as “The Wicked Pavilion: Tween Bedroom” (2021). This striking interpretation of the artist’s childhood bedroom playfully engages the audience: a grand erect penis—traditionally emblematic of male prowess—exists in a space awash with pink hues, culturally associated with femininity. In the corner, a photographic tribute to activist Angela Davis resonates with Vaginal Davis, who shares her name as a homage.
Each artwork by Vaginal Davis invites exploration of size and scale. The familiar phrase “size matters” doesn’t completely capture how Ms. Davis (a familiar title for her) manipulates the dimensions of her themes. Still, it mirrors the rebellious spirit that underpins her artistry. Regarded as a fairy godmother of the Los Angeles queercore movement, she integrated gender fluidity into the punk and hardcore scenes of the 1970s and ’80s in both LA and New York, before cementing her status as an influential artist and curator.
In her exhibition, Ms. Davis expertly navigates between the vast and the tiny as a tactic to shake viewers from their complacency and inspire a fresh perspective on her imagery. Each space at PS1 operates like a mini-exhibition, marked by eccentric, tongue-in-cheek titles and diverse themes or genres. One notable installation, “Sucking Her Unborn Cock – Archivist Headache Wall” (1970s–present), collects an extensive array of small mementos and photographs featuring Davis and her surrounding counterculture. In stark contrast, “HAG – small, contemporary, haggard” (2012) presents a room with an exaggeratedly sloped floor that compels viewers to engage with colossal sculptures of Mariah Carey and Justin Timberlake, crafted from sourdough and preservatives. The incline is so pronounced that visitors must carefully navigate their footing, while the walls exhibit silkscreened silhouettes of women, which Ms. Davis refers to as her “Lesbiana Domesticity wallpaper” (2012).
The playful manipulation of scale in Davis’s work is particularly pronounced in “The Wicked Pavillon: the Fantasia Library” (2021). Here, she painstakingly reproduces small portraits of influential queer, Black, and punk writers on postcards and scraps of paper, using nail polish and makeup. The diminutive depiction of an Octavia Butler portrait draws viewers closer, compelling contemplation of the limitations of makeup as a medium and emblematic of the often-overlooked creative minds who diverge from the conventional image of light-skinned, heterosexual male genius.
In juxtaposition, the overwhelming quantity of archival materials showcased in the installation “Sucking Her Unborn Cock – Archivist Headache Wall (1970s-present)” conveys a sense of enormity. Numerous photographs and flyers are concealed behind drapes, encouraging audiences to literally peek behind the curtain. Vaginal Davis has previously stated that “High femme insight and determination on all matters give my art that special oomph that attracts individuals from various backgrounds and experiences.” This oomph resonates through the oscillation of size within her work, drawing audiences in before confronting them with the enduring impact and avant-garde identity of the artist.
Vaginal Davis: Magnificent Product, continues at MoMA PS1 (22–25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens) through March 2, 2026. The exhibition was coordinated by Hendrik Folkerts; the New York showing was developed by Jody Graf and Sheldon Gooch.
