MAM’s New Erin Shirreff Exhibition Reshapes Sculpture and Photography

The Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) will present “Permanent Drafts,” a major exhibition of over 40 recent works by Canadian artist Erin Shirreff, opening May 30. The show spans collage, photography, sculpture, and video, including site-specific installations and a new museum acquisition, “Paper sculpture” (2024). Shirreff, who began as a sculptor, uses photography to explore the gap between 2D representation and 3D objects, creating works that challenge how viewers perceive images and forms. Key pieces include the cyanotype collage “Inside times” (2020) and the sheet-metal installation “Drop” (2025).