Shannon Cleere
Invisible Hand
Household dust and glue on paper
$225 each

Invisible Hand explores the ceaseless demands of unpaid domestic labor and the complex dynamics within gender roles and societal norms. It interrogates the vast inequities of domestic work and illustrates how the relentless pursuits of capitalist accumulation repeatedly exploit (mainly) women's bodies, labor, and emotional capabilities. Using vacuum bag debris as the primary material, I am interested in the friction created by elevating this otherwise disposable matter into something visually appealing and making invisible labor visible. By featuring the debris—the byproduct of my work as a primary caregiver—in my prints, I draw attention to the often overlooked and undervalued work of mothers, caregivers, and domestic workers.

Artist Bio

Shannon Cleere is a multidisciplinary visual artist inspired by her experiences as a woman, artist, and mother. Her work explores feminine self-identity derived from personal histories and societal narratives, challenging the injustices inherent in norms and expectations. Born to Irish parents, Cleere grew up in South America and Southeast Asia. She received her BA from The Evergreen State College in Washington State and studied fresco restoration and art history at Lorenzo de’ Medici – The Italian International Institute in Florence, Italy. Cleere earned her MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2024 and was awarded a Fellowship Grant from the VCFA Center for Arts + Social Justice. She recently exhibited at Domicile Gallery in Seattle, WA, Juniper Sculpture Park in Plattsburgh, NY, and Suboart Magazine featured her work in its May 2024 issue. Cleere works as a teaching artist for PATH with Art, a non-profit organization based in Seattle that serves low-income residents who have experienced trauma through arts engagement and community building, and in July 2024 worked as a Teaching Assistant at Vermont College of Fine Arts summer residency. Cleere lives and works in Seattle, Washington.