The idea that jewelry can be at once beautiful and confrontational may seem like a paradox, but Joyce J. Scott, the “Queen of Beadwork” from Baltimore, makes it so. At once joyful and satirical, each piece is a unique sculpture that tells a story or offers a comment about the challenges of everyday life. Joyce J. Scott: Messages invites museum visitors to think about what it means to be American today through the lens of an extraordinary Black American artist who has pioneered the craft of beaded jewelry as a political weapon and a work of art. Organized by Mobilia Gallery, this exhibition presents 35 beaded objects expressing contemporary issues and concepts.
Image caption: Joyce J. Scott (American, born 1948), War, What Is It Good For, Absolutely Nothin', Say It Again, 2022. Peyote stitch, glass beads, thread, 17 x 15 x 1/2 in. Courtesy of Mobilia Gallery. Photograph by Jeff Butler with Aisha Butler, model.