Tiny Zoo | By Cara Fischer

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Public Works Art Center

A whimsical paper mache zoo!

Vault | November 20th — January 10th | Opening Reception: November 20th from 5:30pm — 8:30pm

Artist Bio

Cara Fischer is a Charleston-based artist working in black-and-white drawings, murals, and installations. Her work explores the emotional presence of the human figure and the interplay between observation and imagination. A former preschool teacher, she returned to art with a focus on bold, graphic forms, drawing daily from life and memory. Whether sketching at the beach or creating immersive environments, her work invites curiosity, stillness, and play.

Artist Statement

As a child, the zoo was always a fascinating place for me. I have core memories of the giant giraffes and feeding the lorakeets. As I have grown older, zoos no longer hold the same pure joy for me. I see the wild animals trapped in fabricated enclosures and wish so badly that they could be free. This feeling is something I have experienced myself: being stuck in a box and feeling unable to get out. It is said that once a wild animal has been in captivity long enough, it will no longer try to flee for freedom. I see this not only in my own story but in others around me, and in our nation at large. Many have become comfortable with a life we are not biologically equipped to handle- constant information input, hours of screen time, unbalanced work/life flow, disconnection from nature, passive intake of pollution, chemically enhanced and processed foods. By creating this Zoo I will present viewers with a fun, escapist world that also poses a bigger question- who (or what) has captured you? Are you living your wild and free life? Or are you giving in to captivity?

This event happens daily from November 20, 2025 to January 10, 2026. Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada)