Red Rope, Pedestal, and Power
A stark exploration of identity, restriction, and untapped potential.
This painting examines the silencing and restraints imposed by systemic forces, symbolized through a bound figure on a pedestal beside a disconnected power outlet.
Red Rope, Pedestal, and Power depicts a woman bound and gagged with red rope, standing isolated on a pedestal. The red rope represents the silencing and constraints of misogyny, while the pedestal reflects the isolating trap of societal expectations disguised as reverence.
Beside her, a disconnected power outlet symbolizes her unrealized potential, held back by systemic forces. The distress in the painting intentionally disrupts its realism, emphasizing the tension between vulnerability and resistance. Inspired by the framework of Johari’s Window, this piece highlights the hidden or inaccessible parts of identity, challenging viewers to confront the structures that silence women.
Through its stark imagery, this painting invites reflection on power, identity, and the courage it takes to resist oppression.
Oil and mixed media on canvas
40″ x 24″
Windows Within: Universal Narratives in Fractured Realism
This body of work by Deborah Scott explores the profound connections between personal stories and shared human experiences. Through a series of conversations and interviews with individuals from diverse backgrounds, Scott uncovers intimate narratives of struggle, resilience, and triumph. These seemingly unique moments are transformed into powerful works of art, revealing their universality and the interconnectedness of all human experiences.
Each painting in Windows Within serves as both a reflection and a revelation, embodying Scott’s belief that art is a mirror to the complexities of identity and existence. Her work draws on the psychological framework of Johari’s Window, exploring the interplay between the visible and hidden aspects of the self. By blending classical techniques with intentional disruptions—rips, tears, and abstract shapes—Scott creates a dynamic visual language that captures the fragmented, evolving nature of contemporary life.
Windows Within is an emotional and visual journey, inviting viewers to see themselves in the stories of others and to consider the profound universality of human connection.