Cynthia Scott

As a sculptor installation is my irresistible draw, the “bad boyfriend” that neither gives me money nor lets me move on to something more sensible. The interaction that occurs between viewer and work when one can enter the other or walk underneath and gaze up gives a visceral and emotional charge I find hard to match in other ways of working, although I do make other work. Previously I felt a split between what I was making and societal concerns without knowing how to bridge the gap. Katrina upended my practice along with everything else, and subsequent work coalesced into the sociopolitical work I now make. Institutional racism, income inequality, political corruption, and particularly ecological destruction and resulting health degradation are recurring themes. To offset what could be relentlessly depressing work I make esthetic choices that can be colorful, playful, beautiful or humorous to hoodwink viewers into looking deeper. A decision made from poverty became a major component of my esthetic. Besides supporting my need to recycle, found objects carry specific associations and history. There is usually a strong handmade quality used to assemble the detritus into a piece. Screwing, gluing, welding, crocheting, stitching, and improvisational balancing are all employed.