Judith Scott was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Afflicted by Down’s syndrome, she lived with her family in her early years, together with her twin sister. At the age of seven she was removed from her family environment and placed in an institution. She then spent more than 35 years in establishments where she was subjected to conditions close to imprisonment.
In 1986 Judith Scott was taken in charge by Joyce, her twin sister, who obtained custody of her. She then joined one year later the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, California, where she spontaneously engaged in creative work at the age of 44.
These works bring to mind giant cocoons, magic-imbued mascots or spell-casting dolls.

Deaf and mute, Judith Scott makes sculptures that constitute her only means of expression: she hides all sorts of disparate objects – fans, umbrellas, magazines – which form the heart of each creation. Having assembled them with string, she surrounds them and wraps them round with yarn, cord and various fibres in such a way as to protect and conceal them completely. Free of the principles on which weaving, embroidery and sewing are traditionally based, Judith Scott invented her own technique. The threads of the resulting complex networks overlay each other or combine in a highly sophisticated manner.