“Transcend” features paintings and sculptural works that reimagine our differences and celebrate our shared experiences of being human.
What: “Transcend,” an exhibition of work by visual artist Toni Scott
When: November 1, 2021 – Winter 2022, Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m and by appointment
Where: CSUDH University Library Multicultural Art Gallery (5th Floor)
Contact: University Library, (310) 243-3700
The Multicultural Art Gallery at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) proudly presents “Transcend,” an exhibition of works by Southern California-based visual artist Toni Scott on view from November 1, 2021 through the end of the Fall 2022 semester.
Scott’s work often explores her ethnicity as a descendant of African, Indigenous, and European American ancestry. Her art presents the questions: Are we one people, or do lines of demarcation define our humanity? And how can we come together as one race, the human race, in greater unity?
One of the works on exhibit is “Ascend,” constructed from queen palm fronds, wood, and acrylic paint. Scott takes inspiration from queen palm trees, which combine compressive strength with grace to withstand major storms – bending and bouncing back with resilience.
Other sculptures include “Mangbetu Woman,” sculpted from fiberglass, and “I Can’t Breathe,” first created in 2009 as a response to the murder of Oscar Grant, and recast in 2020 in response to George Floyd’s murder. The exhibition also includes several of Scott’s paintings which pay homage to her indigenous heritage and evoke meanings tied to the spiritual and ceremonial practices of her ancestry.
“Transcend” is a part of an ongoing multi-year creative collaboration between Scott and the university which was announced last year and continues through 2023.
“Toni Scott’s artistic mastery is inspirational, thought-provoking, and compelling. The themes contained within her work, including race, identity, culture, and inequity, align perfectly with the ethos of CSUDH – a university firmly rooted in its mission of social justice,” said CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham. “We are proud to partner with Ms. Scott and are humbled that she has chosen the CSUDH campus to help highlight her artistic endeavors.”
Viewing hours for “Transcend” are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or by appointment. For more information call (310) 243-3700.
The Multicultural Art Gallery is located on the fifth floor of the University Library at CSUDH, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson. For a map and directions, visit csudh.edu/directions.
