Joyce J. Scott

Joyce J. Scott
Scott in March 2024
Born1948 (age 75–76)
Baltimore, Maryland
NationalityAmerican
Alma materMaryland Institute College of Art (BFA)
Instituto Allende (MFA)
Known forContemporary craft, quilting, beadweaving
MotherElizabeth Talford Scott

Joyce J. Scott (born 1948) is an African-American artist, sculptor, quilter, performance artist, installation artist, print-maker, lecturer and educator. Named a MacArthur Fellow in 2016,[1][2] and a Smithsonian Visionary Artist in 2019,[3] Scott is best known for her figurative sculptures and jewelry using free form, off-loom beadweaving techniques, similar to a peyote stitch.[4] Each piece is often constructed using thousands of glass seed beads or pony beads, and sometimes other found objects or materials such as glass, quilting and leather.[5] In 2018, she was hailed for working in new medium — a mixture of soil, clay, straw, and cement — for a sculpture meant to disintegrate and return to the earth.[4] Scott is influenced by a variety of diverse cultures, including Native American and African traditions, Mexican, Czech, and Russian beadwork,[6] illustration and comic books, and pop culture.[7]

Scott is renowned for her social commentary on issues such as racism, classism, sexism, violence, and cultural stereotypes,[8] as well as themes of spiritual healing. Her work is about how Scott sees herself in a rapidly changing world: "These works are about personal growth, personal epiphanies and how not to get stuck in the easy ways of life- about art I am fairly fearless but in everyday life I am not."[9]

  1. ^ "MacArthur Foundation announces 2016 class of 'Genius' fellows". Newsweek. 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  2. ^ Sims, Lowery Stokes (2018). Joyce J. Scott : Harriet Tubman and other truths. Scott, Joyce, 1948-, Sims, Patterson,, Rodney, Seph,, Grounds for Sculpture. Hamilton, New Jersey. ISBN 9780966564488. OCLC 1026351878.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ "Joyce J. Scott Is Named 2019 Smithsonian Visionary Artist". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  4. ^ a b "MacArthur Genius Joyce Scott Charts New Artistic Territory". Baltimore magazine. 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  5. ^ "Joyce J. Scott". Ruby City. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  6. ^ Sultan, Terrie (September 14 – November 17, 1991). "Joyce Scott: I-con-no-body/I-con-o-graphy". Gallery One.
  7. ^ "U.S. Department of State - Art in Embassies". art.state.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  8. ^ "Joyce J. Scott: U.S Department of State – Art in Embassies". US Department of State. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  9. ^ Sims, Lowery Stokes (February 23 – April 20, 2007). "Breathe Joyce J. Scott". Goya Contemporary.