Joyce J. Scott: MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Jewelry Maker and Sculptor
MacArthur Fellow Joyce J. Scott uses beadwork and sculpture to explore racism, sexism and violence. (Photo: MacArthur Foundation/Creative Commons)
Don’t let the beadwork fool you. It’s more than just jewelry, says artist Joyce J. Scott, one of this year’s MacArthur “Genius” Fellows. The internationally acclaimed artist uses beadwork and sculptures to explore racism, sexism and violence.
This includes an “Election Day” series with expressions of joy, fear and anger surrounding images of President Obama; a large-scale installation called “Lynched Tree“; and “Ancestry/Progeny,” a satirical representation of parents passing for white but shocked by their darker-hued child.
Her work also features beadwork with blown glass sculptures created in collaboration with artisans in Murano, Italy. And the Baltimore artist is completing a tribute to Harriet Tubman in a large outdoor installation. Watch the video to learn more about Scott’s artistic vision.
