I was a teenage victim of the scarlet withholding . 2026

An exploration of layered collage processes and spatial constructs The project "I was a teenage victim of the scarlet withholding . 2026" by Ben Schumacher delves into the interplay between material and spatial dynamics through a series of paintings and a sculptural installation. The paintings, constructed through layered collage processes, draw from post-2008 issues of Purple magazine and fragments of circulating visual language. These works begin with material tied to specific systems of distribution—editorial layout, graphic interface, promotional image, informal exchange—but are reorganized within the painted surface, where legibility is dictated by placement, scale, and repetition. A sculpture extends this logic into three dimensions, using found elements such as a condom vending machine and aluminum fragments. This assemblage operates as a constructed surface in space, governed by adjacency rather than depiction. The drawings introduce a separate order of image construction, further enriching the project's exploration of visual and material environments.

Design Highlights

Layered collage processes using contemporary media sources. Reorganization of visual elements for pictorial rather than communicative purposes. Three-dimensional sculpture incorporating found objects like a condom vending machine. Exploration of adjacency and spatial constructs in sculptural form.

Key Facts