The Alchemy of the Discarded: The Sculptural Vision of Chakaia Booker In the hands of Chakaia Booker, the discarded remnants of industrial life undergo a profound metamorphosis. Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1953, Booker emerged from an urban landscape that provided both the raw materials and the sociological inspiration for her monumental practice. Her journey into the heart of contemporary sculpture was shaped by an early fascination with the complexities of human identity and social structures—a passion nurtured during her studies at Rutgers University and later refined through her M.F.A…