Statement
Tyler Scott Cieplowski
TSCieplowski@gmail.com
TSCieplowski.com
Beaufort, SC
Artist Statement
Tyler Scott Cieplowski produces sculptural objects and installations out of a variety of cast and fabricated materials and often include recorded spoken word stories. The community Cieplowski was raised in immersed him the heart of the South Carolina coast, as well as the traditional spoken word stories, which serve as the inspiration for a majority of his pieces.
In regards to the work that is centered around flora and fauna, Cieplowski begins with selecting an animal or plant that is distinct within a given region. The object is then reproduced in a variety of materials to exemplify the characteristics he wants to call attention to. The detail that is highlighted vary from piece to piece and can reference old wives tails and folklore that are often commonly referenced about the object.
The spoken-word narrative work revolves around family, friends, and the activities that brings these groups of individuals together. I often propose the statement, “tell me a story of friends who have become closer than family,” which leads to a collection of these stories from individuals who were involved or present. After the story is recorded, a detail from the narrative is simplified and the subject matter is translated into abstract shapes. The purpose of abstracting the objects is to make the viewer think about the object and to have them consider the audio that is coming from the sculpture. This also shows that memories are often distorted or altered over a period of time.