Kayli Cottonwood

Climbing Nowhere

Install #1 (Winter 2022) MSU Denver Gallery 199, Denver, CO

Date: Fall 2022
Materials: Synthetic Metallic Textile
Dimensions: 6ft x 2ft x 3in

Every job requires the right tool—this is obvious. If you have a pile of nails in one hand, you probably want a hammer in the other. If you need to scale a wall, you likely want a ladder. Tools extend far beyond construction or manual labor; they encompass the psychological and societal mechanisms we use daily. Body language, for example, helps us integrate into social orders. Coping mechanisms act as tools to navigate difficult psychological experiences.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow, who developed the “Hierarchy of Needs,” described how fundamental human needs—such as air, food, water, shelter, sleep, and clothing—form the foundation for personal growth. Only once these physiological needs are met can individuals ascend the hierarchy toward self-actualization: the desire and ability to become the best version of themselves.

However, this idealized pyramid often feels impossible to climb. Social and corporate ladders present barriers that require specific tools—generational wealth, privilege, or access to mental health care—to overcome. Those who lack these tools are often the ones who need them most. "Useless Ladder" reflects on these inequities, asking viewers to consider the societal systems that perpetuate them and the ways we might reimagine tools to foster collective growth and support.

Published February 2025

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