Laurie Simmons facts for kids

Laurie Simmons (born October 3, 1949) is an American artist famous for her photography and films. She is known for creating detailed scenes with dolls, puppets, and miniature objects. Her art often looks playful but makes people think about serious ideas.

Simmons is considered a key member of a group of artists called The Pictures Generation. In the late 1970s, she and other women artists began creating art in new ways. They used photography to tell stories and explore ideas from pop culture. This was different from the painting and sculpture that was popular at the time.

Her photographs often use dolls, ventriloquist dummies, and mannequins instead of real people. She sets them up in tiny, detailed rooms that look like real homes. Through these scenes, her art explores ideas about identity, family life, and how we see ourselves and others. One critic said her work makes you "think about what, if anything, is real."

Simmons's art is displayed in major museums all over the world. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

Early Life and Career

Laurie Simmons was born in 1949 in Queens, New York. She grew up on Long Island. Her father, a dentist, gave her a Kodak Brownie camera when she was only six years old, and she started taking pictures. In college, she studied art at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture and graduated in 1971.

After college, Simmons found a closing toy store and bought a large collection of toys and dollhouse furniture. In 1973, she moved to the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. There, she began to experiment with her new toys, creating lifelike scenes and photographing them. This was a very new and unique way to make art at the time.

Her unique style quickly got noticed. She had her first solo shows in 1979 at Artists Space and MoMA PS1 in New York. This was the start of a long and successful career.

Major Exhibitions and Recognition

Throughout her career, Simmons has shown her work in famous galleries and museums around the world. She has had major shows at the Walker Art Center, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Her work is part of the permanent collections of many important museums, including:

• The Art Institute of Chicago
• The Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• The Tate museum in London
• The Whitney Museum in New York

Simmons has received many awards for her art. In 1997, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, which is a major honor for artists. She has also received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Personal Life

Simmons lives and works in New York City and Cornwall, Connecticut. She is married to the painter Carroll Dunham. They have two children. Their daughter is the writer and actress Lena Dunham, and their son is the writer and activist Cyrus Dunham.

See also

In Spanish: Laurie Simmons para niños