USA Projects

Susan Robb's medium-spanning practice is an ongoing exploration of the interrelatedness of place and people. Drawing on the utopian thought at play in intentional communities, the hands-on ethos of DIY subcultures, and on her own travel experiences, Robb depicts the kaleidoscopic relationship we have with our surroundings though a combination of poetic applications of technology (from muscle-wire circuitry to methane digesters), an interrogation and manipulation of materials (giant black plastic bags to cultured crystals), and a re-purposing of forms and sites (bike parking-as-social hub; hiking trail-as-game space).

Unquestionably interested in involving rather then addressing her viewers, Robb's most recent works are a series of participatory, often over-night, events. Works such as Sleeper Cell Training Camp, The Long Walk, Scent of the Trails, and Warmth, Giant Black Toobs require spontaneous involvement from her audience and in return deliver a reordering of their relationship to each other and their surroundings. 

 Robb's recent exhibitions include The Challenge Nature Provides at Lawrimore Project, Seattle, WA and work in the touring exhibition Critical Messages: Northwest Artist on the Environment. She is a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant, two Artist Trust Fellowships, the Stranger Genius Award, and numerous commissions from 4Culture, the City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Public Utilities, and the King County Parks Department.