CSU Dominguez Hills Presents “Transcend,” a Multimedia Exhibition by Visual Artist Toni Scott

What: “Transcend,” an exhibition of work by visual artist Toni Scott

When: November 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022, Tuesday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m and by appointment

Where: CSUDH University Library Multicultural Art Gallery (5^th Floor)

Contact: University Library, (310) 243-3700

(Carson, CA) – 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 now on view through April 30, 2022.

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 6 p.m. Tuesday 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. 

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About Toni Scott

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Toni Scott is a multi-media visual artist whose installations and individual artworks explore her African, Indigenous and European American heritage. Her seminal exhibition “Bloodlines” debuted at the California African-American Museum running for three years and receiving funding from the Annenberg Foundation. “Bloodlines” has appeared at museums and galleries throughout the United States and abroad in countries including South Africa and Asia. Her “Bloodlines: DNA and the Family of Mankind” was chosen for exhibitions by two major museums in China: The Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology in Beijing, and the Changzhou Museum in Jiangsu Province, where Scott became the first international artist to receive a solo exhibition.  

Scott received her Bachelor of Science in International Relations at USC and a Master of Fine Arts at UCSB.  Scott lives and works in Santa Barbara.  Her studio is located on land that dates back hundreds of years to when Indigenous people from the Mikiw and Kutamu live.  She also serves as a visiting lecturer of sculpture in UCSB’s Department of Art.

About California State University, Dominguez Hills

California State University, Dominguez Hills, centrally located in the greater Los Angeles South Bay region, is a model urban university with a wide range of academic programming, providing accessible, high quality, and transformative education to students aspiring to succeed and thrive in a complex, global society.  Since 1960, CSU Dominguez Hills has served a diverse community of learners and educators collaborating to change lives and communities for the better. A national model and laboratory for student success, the university offers a proven path to opportunity and social equity, advancing a college-focused culture in the communities it serves while providing vital resources of knowledge, talent, and leadership to the greater Los Angeles region and beyond.  Today, CSU Dominguez Hills boasts over 100,000 alumni – doctors, scientists, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs – who are leaders in education, health, technology, entertainment, public service, and business, making a difference in their fields, in people’s lives, and in their communities. For more information, visit www.csudh.edu.