Working with discarded pop imagery and borrowed icons of fetishism and voodoo, Sarah Contos' practice combines disparate materials and textures into a formal language that is reminiscent of Poverist works. Yet there is an underlying erotic subtext, referenced in her use of lovers' clothing, sequins and quilting. Working across painting, assemblage, craft and soft sculpture, Contos uses a sense of wit and humor to address 'the sadness of things'—a material history as represented by cultural anthropology, art history and popular culture. Her works have included a Crystal Meth lab to make Chloe Eau de Parfum, and embroidered album covers of 80s pop hits. In 2011, Contos was the recipient of the Martin Bequest Traveling Scholarship.
