LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.- Laguna Art Museum presents Carole Caroompas: Heathcliff and the Femme Fatale Go on Tour, a powerful exhibition showcasing a series of works created between 1997 and 2001 by the late feminist artist Carole Caroompas. The exhibition, guest curated by Rochelle Steiner, will be on view from Sunday, March 30 to Sunday, July 13, 2025, and offers an exploration of Caroompas’s most consistent theme: gender and power relations. This is seen here through her recasting of Heathcliff from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and other personae, including some stylized in her self-image.
“This exhibition offers a bold and thought-provoking narrative that invites viewers to engage with Caroompas' unique approach to gender, identity and the dynamics of power,” said Julie Perlin Lee, Executive Director of Laguna Art Museum “Her fearless exploration of these themes will resonate deeply with those who appreciate the intersection of art and cultural critique.”
With a confident approach, Caroompas used a variety of materials and artistic methods, including painting, collage, embroidery and found imagery, to delve into themes of sexuality, identity and the subversion of traditional constructs. She merged influences from art history, rock music, literature, film and advertising, creating a body of work that reflected and challenged societal norms. Known for her dynamic compositions and bold use of color, Caroompas utilized techniques often associated with “women’s work” or craft, including stitching and embroidery, bringing them directly into contemporary, feminist discourse.
“Carole Caroompas was a bold, groundbreaking artist whose work was ahead of its time,” said Rochelle Steiner, curator of the exhibition. “Her investigation led her to consider power—between individuals and within society—and to take a stance and propose alternatives that resonate well beyond her era.”
Consistently throughout her career, Caroompas considered and subverted gender roles, power dynamics and the construction of identity. She did this at a time when opportunities for women artists were considerably more limited than they are now. Against this backdrop, her paintings were tough, noisy and radical.
Carole Caroompas: Heathcliff and the Femme Fatale Go on Tour is organized by Laguna Art Museum and is guest curated by Rochelle Steiner.
Born in Oregon City, Oregon, in 1946 and raised in Newport Beach, California, Caroompas studied English at Cal State Fullerton and earned her MFA from the University of Southern California in 1971. Her career spanned several decades, during which she became associated with Los Angeles-based artists exploring punk-inspired, abject themes. Although Caroompas was not as widely recognized during her lifetime as some of her peers, her work has gained increasing attention since her passing in 2022. Heathcliff and the Femme Fatale Go on Tour celebrates Caroompas’ legacy, highlighting her lasting impact on contemporary feminist art and her influence on generations of artists.
Dr. Rochelle Steiner is a Los Angeles–based curator, writer and educator, and serves as a Curatorial Fellow for Laguna Art Museum. Previously, she was chief curator and director of public programs and education at Palm Springs Art Museum; associate director and chief curator at Vancouver Art Gallery; director of the Public Art Fund, New York; chief curator at the Serpentine Gallery, London; and associate curator of contemporary art, Saint Louis Art Museum. She has curated monographic exhibitions of the works of Glenn Brown, John Currin, Jay DeFeo, Gabriel Orozco, Elizabeth Peyton, Lari Pittman Cindy Sherman, Gary Simmons, Monika Sosnowska, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Fred Tomaselli, among others. Her recent publications include Fred Tomaselli: Second Nature (Laguna Art Museum, 2025), Sarah Charlesworth (Del Monico•Prestel, 2017) and Do Ho Suh Drawings (Del Monico•Prestel, 2014).
