It's a small world after all

Abstract

Toronto-based artist Cybele Young's route to her present artistic voice is described, via commercial art and large-scale sculptural installation to printmaking. She evolved her tiny copper plate etchings printed on small pieces of paper characterized by quirky ways of juxtaposing images of all types. Humor is a hallmark of her works, but sometimes with a dark edge. Fatuous celebrity worship and overblown mass media hype are recurring themes, and her emphasis on accurate technical precision is explored. Her paper purses have functioning latches and hinges, and accordion pleats and tiny individual fringes. Movement is important in a piece and the creation of an animated short featuring her sculptures is among long-term plans. She describes the advantages of working on a small scale with experimentation time available because her investment in materials and time is minimal compared with large-scale work. Her work is created in her home-based studio with a tight working schedule integrated alongside family and friends.