The Louisiana Art and Science Museum (LASM) in Baton Rouge will present “Rhythm and Improvisation: John T. Scott and his Legacy,” an exhibition of works by the renowned New Orleans artist from April 20 to July 14. Scott (1940 to 2007), a long-time Xavier University professor, was known for incorporating motion into abstract metal sculpture. Inspired by a simple, traditional instrument known as the diddlie bow, Scott balanced rings, rods and other sculptural shapes on taught wires, which allowed them to shift with the slightest breeze. In 1992 Scott received a “Genius Grant” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in recognition of his contribution to art.
Scott was also known for his colorful abstract prints that combine elements of cubism with traditional patterns. Like his sculpture, Scott’s prints were often inspired by jazz and blues music. Scott created the poster for the 1993 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. In the years preceding Hurricane Katrina, Scott produced a suite of stirring, large-scale wood block prints that depicted urban scenes and musical heroes. Scott created the prints by carving the surface of plywood panels with a chainsaw. Instead of a printing press, Scott used an asphalt roller.