Time is running out to explore Petah Coyne: How Much a Heart Can Hold at the Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami. On view through March 14, this exceptional exhibition showcases over a dozen large-scale mixed-media sculptures by one of America’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, celebrating themes of female identity, creative transformation, and emotional depth.
Coyne’s sprawling and tactile landscapes honor women’s creativity and resilience, paying homage to figures like Zelda Fitzgerald, Joan Didion, and Zora Neale Hurston. Her work merges unconventional materials—including shredded metal, dead fish, silk flowers, and even a shredded 1950s Airstream trailer—crafted into towering sculptures that invite viewers into a world of profound metaphor and visceral beauty.
A highlight is Coyne’s monumental sculpture Zelda, inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald and named after the quote “Nobody has ever measured, even the poets, how much a heart can hold.” The seven-foot-tall piece explores her legacy and life’s barriers through a transparent glass box that symbolizes captivity and the power of artistic resilience.
Coyne’s process defies convention: working without preliminary sketches, she follows her intuition and emotion, creating art that speaks directly to the heart and soul. Her detailed, baroque constructions challenge perceptions and evoke a deep emotional response.
Organized by the Chazen Museum of Art, the exhibition is divided into themes such as Women’s Work, Women Obscured and Transformed, and Women’s Relationships. It also features a compelling photo project capturing the Guerrilla Girls, an activist artist group fighting bias in art and culture.
The Lowe Art Museum, with nearly 19,000 artworks spanning 5,000 years, offers this eye-opening opportunity to witness Coyne’s powerful exploration of womanhood and creative expression. Admission is free, and the museum is open Wednesday through Saturday. Don’t miss this wonderland of physical forms—your last chance is March 14.
For more, visit lowe.miami.edu.