Mira Dancy’s practice engages and recalibrates the historical trope of woman-as-subject. Across multiple mediums—painting, mural, drawing, and sculpture—Dancy maintains her bold, linear approach to create intricately layered compositions. Her figures, fragmented towards abstraction, merge with their jagged and imposing architectural settings, blurring boundaries between the internal self and the built environments they inhabit. Dancy’s subjects emerge as powerful beings that reclaim performed and projected ideas of womanhood.
Mira Dancy (b. 1979) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. She received her MFA in painting from Columbia University. She has had recent solo exhibitions at Dio Horia Gallery, Athens, GR; Chapter NY, New York; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; Galería Agustina Ferreyra, Mexico City; JOAN, Los Angeles; Lumber Room, Portland, OR; Yuz Foundation, Shanghai; and Galerie Hussenot, Paris. Her work has been included in group exhibitions at Chapter NY, New York; Spurs Gallery, Beijing; Various Small Fires, Seoul; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; Galleria Monica De Cardenes, Zouz, CHE; Derek Eller, New York; Anonymous Gallery, Mexico City; König Gallerie, Berlin; Simone Subal Gallery, New York; MoMA PS1, Long Island City; and the Rubell Family Collection, Miami; among others.
![Installation view, <i>See Thru Palm</i>, Dio Horia Gallery, Athens, GRC](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/3dpfp8OsXY51F2QF6mWyrE/fb1ae6634da64ff59725f86fb3019dff/MD_Installation_view_-See_Thru_Palm-_Dio_Horia_1.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Between Worlds</i>, 2022<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>64 x 58 in (162.6 x 147.3 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4CRl0UUFPx5fGPvtG7STfH/893aa45e43c80b1a55db8cb8c3ffa0cb/MD407_1_4000px.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Pink Pendulum</i>, 2022<br/>Plexiglass<br/>82 1/2 x 27 1/4 x 14 3/4 in (209.6 x 69.2 x 37.8 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2rDKCKZoeJaXKPK7sJAYwx/31d86e1c6fb7bc55b7939b589c17b372/MD412_4_4000px.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Yellow Elevation</i>, 2022<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>26 x 32 in (66 x 81.3 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1bL1CPyVaDIuwdjjSgZTlr/6d9dc231667fc366ae6a2ac60ed340fe/MD_2212_Yellow_Elevation.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Dream Exit Profile</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 × 60 in (203.20 × 152.40 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5D1LrQ8jBwIEpfshwfukQ8/6a127544a034da25bd68c4c1a7f1fdaf/MD_1854_Dream_Exit_Profile_1.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Projection Thru the Heart</i>, 2022<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>58 x 64 in (147.3 x 162.6 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/ZbbMcjDDAQxza6sM2cdI2/c0fa8c4f6f5ee5511e4d21496c92002d/MD_2235_1_front.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Crosscut</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 × 92 in (203.20 × 233.68 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1bNc6HWFDn5PwXsaST1kRD/993e08a2f7c42c47098d9275fa391cdd/MD_1858_Crosscut_5_floor.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Sunspoke Searing See-Thru</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 x 60 in (203.2 x 152.4 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5QZNh8K8JPEraF8rUp2rP2/de6c7185d46ce3fa887374861d4a98f9/NG_MD365_Sunspoke_Searing_See-Thru_2021_1.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Inverse Curtain</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 x 60 in (203.2 x 152.4 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1NegXXxurjQDn95MDHQnXB/818a39be60f1a9f558401d61d56901dc/MD_1856_Inverse_Curtain_5_floor.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Supple As The Supplicant</i>, Galería Agustina Ferreyra, Mexico City, MEX](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/W5dPuavzAAZ3ygDyu2w4s/deaab992db4c514fedcae719e87c5811/0Z2A6983.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Supple As The Supplicant</i>, Galería Agustina Ferreyra, Mexico City, MEX](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6bKT1MJK3AnoTOYvAWLkrd/a1d5c93e63a828a87f4d9492b9c2488a/0Z2A6966.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>No Annunciation</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>32 x 26 in (81.3 x 66 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4IE9fr72rjywymoKnSIpe/32918fd9b7fb262fdd940b9f497989ff/MD_No_Annunciation.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Eyewitness Blue</i>, 2020<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>24 × 20 in (60.96 × 50.80 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5aJhgTKsFeL6dnJcUlnbu2/8c6a35161da5120f29ef16cc536a6c47/2_mage001.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Split Sky</i>, 2021<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>41 x 37 in (104.1 x 94 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5J4ewcy10M0DMYoW6mQ5he/8aaf651a4d841b08473e000fc9f07f58/MD_1851_Split_Sky.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>No Time to Mother</i>, 2022<br/>Ink and acrylic on paper<br/>83 x 42 in (210.8 x 106.9 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/U3NfIawXyte7LNHtf2i12/a3a8f212f78888495af9726f8e44051e/MD_2230_No_Time_to_Mother_1.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>No Money to Mother</i>, 2022<br/>Ink and acrylic on paper<br/>81 1/2 x 42 in (207 x 106.7 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/7dwA6HKTKBXnTLKC9UPcij/5e4db0f3d3bd74d51c14953444a99a50/MD-P-2225-image.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Self Seed</i>, Lumber Room, Portland, OR](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2RLp1WPGnm5ncfruMVAVpk/3ef98e792b009bea3741b2934698e035/DSC_1108.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Self Seed</i>, Lumber Room, Portland, OR](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/7Jwo7Fmthl6lCvCj8QApey/c6da6853b2deaf031c953373c9329426/29_DSC_1328.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Self Seed</i>, Lumber Room, Portland, OR](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6dyQW6W8lHD13xZJnBXx9Y/3f30a2a596a52143a49478f13112f869/15_DSC_1515.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Self Seed</i>, Lumber Room, Portland, OR](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1eRKpnH7NmKQLWTpH5QYru/b698dd02df10b0cc882b734c21938cd1/DSC_1630.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Elevated G</i>, 2019<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>76 x 96 in (193 x 243.8 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/3yjKn4gybEny19uNkszRED/497c42b9f537de8e0e0ddc82325ea372/MD_Elevated_G__1_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Red-Faced Sunset</i>, 2019<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>36 × 30 in (91.44 × 76.20 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2N8Bz5zUDJtz3mHzyKBXTT/e3428cdc78625f90288377efac8111ba/1_MD_Red_Faced_Sunset.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Yellow Wrestler</i>, 2018<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 × 34 in (203.20 × 86.36 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2zNWysDraqtpRoke1oB3ac/8c7d82d4f81f72c5d1101130085c56fa/11_MD_Yellow_Wrestler.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Emerald Icon</i>, 2019<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>84 × 68 in (213.36 × 172.72 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/7txbzQWJiGUcy8nkROb93W/e0f47581e26ebfc81e93ae9e76f3e372/3_MD_Emerald_Icon__1__copy.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>She Stares Back</i>, The Fed Galleries, Kendall College of Art and Design, Ferris State University, Grand Rapids, MI](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4kB45YPBzcZlI4m00czQTX/13dbbb1029e99bdf4046ba1f9c2aaae4/181108__MG_0021.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Herfugue</i>, JOAN, Los Angeles, CA](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2oP4LXbYtZ13bzJcwbo2XR/37030eab2bf3a5a75394c79c88b384cc/Joan-2019-09-16_039.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Herfugue</i>, JOAN, Los Angeles, CA](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2wdjStSD6uYVTQnZrigZHF/aeee12264e2818b17e8a54899c380bc6/Joan-2019-09-16_002.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation detail, <i>Herfugue</i>, JOAN, Los Angeles, CA](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/78863pqli4u49ZGrlai6Ut/060afa5ee34425d9dad9d62f93e43520/Joan-2019-09-16_003.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Psychic Liberty</i>, 2018<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>30 x 36 in (76.2 x 91.4 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2awNlaTVpjwljaTzOL2KxX/82a7b1fada01debe07ca02e280716e8c/MD_Psychic_Liberty_copy.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Sinking Sky</i>, 2017<br/>Acrylic on canvas<br/>80 × 110 in (203.2 × 279.4 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2guXkaJoGxzBq50xb2Zpsi/adb2e1706d6f5dee9b547898b34210fe/13_NG_MD_Sinking_Sky_2017_copy.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Future Woman</i>, Yuz Foundation, Shanghai, CHN](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1ozyWxw4aZx8egoefCZOWd/b7b3a23e37f5582bce73aaa978316ef0/_DSC8647.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Future Woman</i>, Yuz Foundation, Shanghai, CHN](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2SxC2Kwk25QaeGjDGQKMj5/2aae8d0dfe18efd1ab592b6984217e53/2016_Yuz_Foundation_Installation_view_04.jpg?w=800&q=80)