Cummins works mainly with printed matter , such as newspapers , letters , and checks . While initially she focused on everyday ephemera ( self-described " dumpster diving " in Brooklyn ) , her later work turns to institutional collections , working to get readers to question their assumptions about the nature of historical authority while focusing on historical events such as the Salem Witch Trials or disasters like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire . This work focuses particularly on " social issues like women ’s rights , race relations , human oppression and torture , poverty , identity , and mental illness , " and Cummins hopes to " snare " viewers by showing them familiar images before surprising them with new information
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Maureen Cummins