Cambium Itch is a new large-scale installation by Erika Scott, presented at the Institute of Modern Art.
Known for her maximalist sculptural practice, Scott transforms the detritus of consumer culture into immersive, sensory environments. Her work collapses distinctions between object, image, and viewer, amplifying the tactile and visual qualities of discarded materials.
In this exhibition, Scott reimagines the iconic ‘pin-art toy’—originally designed by Ward Fleming in 1976—on a monumental scale. The gallery becomes filled with an accumulation of materials including PVC pipes, plastic tubing, upholstery, and salvaged objects, forming a dense, haptic landscape. These elements suggest both presence and absence, where impressions remain like ghostly traces of bodies, objects, and ideas no longer held in value.
The title references the cambium layer in plants, a vital tissue responsible for growth and the transport of nutrients. Scott draws a parallel between this biological process and creative production, puncturing and penetrating the architectural “skin” of the gallery to expose a generative, underlying layer. The work evokes a tension between disruption and growth—where interruption may also create the conditions for new forms to emerge.
This project is supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), a partnership between the Queensland Government and Redland City Council.
