Master of Fine Arts Thesis Defense by Immer Mowry Cook
Advisor: Rebecca Hutchinson
Subject: Master of Fine Arts Thesis Defense by: Immer Mowry Cook
Topic: Found and Made: Ceramics in Integrated Compositional Systems
Date: May 1st, 2026
Time: 10:00am
Location: ADS, 458 State Rd. North Dartmouth Towne Center, North Dartmouth, MA. 02747
Abstract:
I create temporary systems of structural dependency that use hybrid forms and improvised supports to convey a spectrum of stability and precariousness. I explore the relationship of natural growth and constructed fragments in temporary ecosystems that question how bodies and structure adapt, lean and persist in unstable environments. Through iteration and experimentation, I position myself as a student of the materials and objects I work with. I prioritize their intrinsic properties and the ways they can fit together to form larger structures, rather than their intended uses.
My sculptures combine lushly glazed, highly crafted ceramic forms with other materials to explore the relationship between organic form, structural support, and material tension. I combine biomorphic shapes with industrial and found materials to create systems that appear to lean, balance, and rely on one another. Soft, bodily forms interact with rigid frameworks, suggesting both growth and constraint while emphasizing the physical forces of weight, gravity, and balance.
This work draws inspiration from the material experimentation and expressive surfaces of Arlene Shechet, the careful attention to structure and craft found in the sculpture of Martin Puryear, and the transformative assemblage of industrial materials associated with John Chamberlain. While these influences inform my practice, my sculptures emphasize provisional construction and visible support systems, presenting sculpture as an evolving structure where organic forms and built frameworks coexist in unstable but generative balance.
UMass Dartmouth Art & Design Studio : 458 State Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747