Celadon II, 2010, blown, fused, painted and flame worked glass, glass beadwork, thread and wire
Joyce J. Scott’s “What Next and Why Not” at Peter Blum Gallery, New York
October 8, 2018
Through November 10, 2018, Joyce J. Scott’s “What Next and Why Not” is on view at Peter Blum Gallery, New York.
The exhibition focuses on works made by the artist since the year 2000 bridging the gap between craft aesthetics and contemporary sculpture. The group of approximately 20 sculptures incorporate Scott’s trademark beadwork with blown glass, found objects, and mixed media.
“Scott’s visual lexicon integrates elements from a wide variety of cultures and spiritual traditions, including influences from her post-graduate studies in Mexico, West African Yoruba weaving techniques, Native American and transcendent Buddhist belief systems, and perhaps most importantly, American Southern traditions of quilting, weaving, and beadwork which are deeply rooted in her own family history,” the gallery writes. “The visual richness of the objects is held in stark contrast to the weight of the subject matter that theyexplore. The works dive deep into issues of class, race, gender, and violence, often mining history to better understand the present moment. The sculptures embed cultural critique within the pleasurable experience of viewing a pristinely crafted object. The titles of the works provide an entry point into the narratives at play.
For example, ‘Sex Traffic 2,’ 2017, depicts a floating nude female figure made of dark brown/green blown glass, embraced by an intricately beaded white skeleton. In ‘War Woman II,’ 2014, Scott combines an African sculpture with mosaic glass, beads, metal keys, and a group of cast glass guns,” the gallery says.
Joyce J. Scott (b. 1948, Baltimore) received a BFA (1970) from the Maryland Institute College of Art, an MFA (1971) from Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Scott was named a MacArthur fellow in 2016. His recent solo museum exhibitions include, “Grounds for Sculpture,” New Jersey (2017), Fuller Craft Museum, Massachusetts (2016), MOCA Cleveland (2015), Museum of Art and Design, New York City (2014), Houston Center for Contemporary Art, (2007), Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland (2000). Group museum exhibitions include, African American Museum in Philadelphia (2017), Delaware Art Museum (2016), and many others.
The exhibition is on view through November 10, 2018, at Peter Blum Gallery, 176 Grand Street, New York.