Cydney M. Lewis
Cydney M. Lewis is a Chicago-based multimedia artist who primarily works in collage, assemblage and installation. Her work blends materials found in diverse places, exploring the relationship between the spiritual and natural worlds. She celebrates the beauty of the lived environment and reflects on how humans can move toward a more harmonious future in a consumer-driven society. Lewis studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and L'École d'architecture in Versailles, France, earning a BS in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has received the 3Arts Make A Wave Grant and the Black Creativity/Green Art Award from the Museum of Science and Industry. Her work has been featured in Newcity, NBC News, and Suboart Magazine. In addition to her visual art practice, Lewis has trained in ballet and art-directed films, which influence her narratives and the materials she uses.
Profile image by: photo by Kimberly Atwood
Photo by Mark Holt
Featured Artworks
Rising of the Djinn
Medium: Hand cut paper, fabric, rhinestones,beads,thumbtacks on wood and plexi Dimensions: 40h x 24w x 1d inches
Photo by Tom Van Eynde
Rising of the Djinn explores the concept of acknowledging the "in-between space" and embracing its unique power. Part of the Flowing Between the Recesses series, this piece delves into the emotional journey of grief and healing. It reflects the delicate balance between light and dark, recognizing the liminal space we often navigate during emotional turmoil. Like the mythical genie, we may wish for relief, yet healing is a process that involves both painful and joyful moments. By combining glossy, glittering materials, I hope to complicate the figure, incorporating fragments of the human form in a play of pleasure and imagination.
Underneath. Underground, Underway.
Medium: Hand Cut paper, fabric, engraving, ink, plastic, yarn, wood,rhinestones on plexi Dimensions:36h x 24w x 3d inches
The interplay of materials and depth evokes a sense of transition, representing unseen spaces between struggle and renewal. By merging found materials with hand-drawn elements, the piece reflects the nonlinear nature of healing—a continual movement between uncertainty and clarity, darkness and light. It invites viewers to consider resilience as an ongoing process of rediscovery and transformation.
Flowing Downstream
Medium: Hand cut paper, rope, fabric, rhinestones, beads, engraving, acrylic, plastic on plexiglass Dimensions: 49h x 32w x .5d inches
This piece reflects the importance of emotional fluidity and the wisdom needed to navigate life’s challenges. Influenced by my qigong practice and Bruce Lee’s teachings on the flow of energy, I embrace the idea of harmonizing with the natural flow to overcome obstacles and progress in life.
Keep Your Ear to the Ground
Medium: Hand cut paper, engraving,ink,rhinestones, plastic, wire,wax, acrylic, fabric on plexi Dimensions:38h x 31w x 6d inches
This work reflects on the balance between the environmental impact of our actions and the resilience needed to protect and sustain life.
Exodus
Medium: paper, yarn, cord, fabric, metal, acrylic, spray paint, wood, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Dimensions: 78h x 19w x 5d inches wood Platform 25 x 20 x ½ in
Photo by Tom Van Eynde
While the wall sculpture represents individuals navigating towards a new direction—moving away from the past in search of a better future. Exodus serves as a meditation on both physical and emotional dislocation, offering a visual metaphor for the journey from destruction to renewal.