Alison Saar

Tower Auditorium

Born into a family of artists, Alison Saar was encouraged to explore art from around the world from a young age.  Her sculptures and installations, which are informed by her extensive studies of Latin American, Caribbean and African art and religion, frequently explore themes of the African cultural diaspora and spirituality.  Her powerful works abound in social and historic references and are made from a variety of media, including wood, dirt, roots, glue, tin wax, and found objects.  According to Saar, these materials are artifacts and witnesses of human lives and help imbue her work with their own spirit and wisdom. Saar's pieces have been exhibited internationally and are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, among others.