Joseph Zuccarini is best known for large-scale, meditative assemblages of found and fabricated metal scraps—especially rusted steel—accented by broken glass, fabric, and slowly dripping water. Embracing the naturally occurring patination process, Zuccarini uses an earthy palate to evoke mortality, deterioration, preservation, and the passage of time. Works like Nun and Various Dreams of Saints & Schizophrenics (2000) reflect his fascination with religion: “The role of the priest in society, objects of worship and mythology are ideas I explore in a push-pull process,” he says. “Dark cathedrals, dimly backlit stained glass windows, ritualistic chanting, the smell and smoke of frankincense. These images move within the layers of my pieces.” For instance, a 2006 untitled public art installation Zuccarini produced with Jim Zlokovich in Nevada featured a rusted metal bench resembling a church pew paired with a painted cloudscape.