On the Other Hand

On the Other Hand is a collage series that began in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As thoughts of handwashing, fear of touching surfaces, and a general lack of physical intimacy informed daily life, Randy Lee Cutler found herself constructing a visual syntax that embraced ciphers, sign language, and writing across diverse cultures. Working with gifted and thrifted national geographic magazines, Cutler embraced the virus by channelling its RNA code to cast spells through hieroglyphic forms. By bringing disparate elements together into new configurations, an emergent lexicon is cast of human gestures and cultural artifacts. These sparse, abstract images operate as a kind of writing, open to interpretation while resonating our shared desire for pattern, recognition, and meaning. The series is comprised of more than seventy images that represent a form of personal intuition that is likely a collaboration with the unconscious. Each collage evades understanding while simultaneously inviting a personal connection to its message.