Joint Custody showcased the newest photo, video, and installation work from Curly Jefferson. Curly Jefferson is the anonymous fictional dual character that is the collaboration of MCAD MFA graduates, Kayla Campbell and Katie Lupton. The show explored elements of fun, color, styling, silliness, and anonymity. Under the guise of Curly Jefferson, the designers are able to take on different personas and experiment with creating work in a looser manner than in their individual practices. By being anonymous, the viewer can take on the role of the figure in the image, with the focus becoming less on the individuals and more on the action, the environment, and the perceived narrative.
Joint Custody aimed to transform the space into an experiential environment by including visual and auditory stimuli with videos, color, and pattern play. Campbell and Lupton were interested in the play between sensory overload and the invitation into a space, leaving the viewer with part Uncanny Valley and part unaffected amusement. By using a sense of humor and silly subject matter the work is easier to digest, allowing the viewer to feel included in the inside joke.