Maddie McSweeney: Moon Belly

In Maddie McSweeney’s practice, the vulnerability of human living peeks through the translucent skin of its awkward, everyday façade. Their work uses humor to find joy or relief in the discomfort of existing in a temporary vessel brimmed with complex emotions. A body, real or imagined, is often depicted in their work to reflect on these periods of existential dread or to cross emotional and physical boundaries for connection. These emotions take the form of swollen, bursting donut breasts or interlocked, slipping fingers slathered in grease. The intrusive physicality of their staged images, objects, and actions stimulates the audience’s senses and elicits a deeper presence in their own bodies.

Public viewing dates:
OPENING RECEPTION during Walk All Over Waterloo: Friday, April 5, 2024, from 5–9pm

Additional public viewing dates:
Friday, May 3, 2024, from 5-9pm, coinciding with the Waterloo Arts District’s Walk All Over Waterloo event.

 MEET THE ARTIST

 

Maddie McSweeney

 

“I hold an interest in human experiences as well as situation-making that allows for the blurring of physical and emotional boundaries. Observation and recordkeeping of participant responses become research, revealing how different elements in the show function individually within a collective framework. 

Through controlled contexts, this space and its contents become self-referential and build an interactive narrative subjected to both fixed and individualized interpretation. Mystification and surprise allow for heightened sensibilities and subverted expectations. I welcome participants to enter my space with a present body and open mind.” – Maddie McSweeney

 
 

McSweeney is a multimedia artist and active community member currently based in Akron, OH. Their work delves into deeply personal narratives encompassing childhood, gender, sexuality, and collective intimacy. In their recent practice, McSweeney explores the notion of situation-making. They investigate how controlled contexts and blurred boundaries can elicit shared sensibilities between participants and engender dialogues about individual functioning within a broader context.