Rebecca Stevenson, a London-based artist, delves into the profound themes of life, death, and the transient nature of existence through her disquieting yet beautifully decorated wax sculptures. Her work is a study in contrasts, juxtaposing the delicate beauty of floral arrangements with the grotesque aspects of flesh and decay. Stevenson’s sculptures are a physical manifestation of her contemplation on what it means to inhabit a body, to be made of flesh.
These wax creations are not just art pieces; they are philosophical inquiries rendered in a tangible form. Each sculpture is an exploration of the state of transition, capturing moments of transformation that are both unsettling and exquisite. Stevenson’s art compels viewers to confront the uncomfortable realities of our physical existence while simultaneously appreciating the intricate beauty that can emerge from it.
I make sculptures to better understand what it is to be made of flesh; to be a body. Human and non-human animals are sculpted in materials that have specific resonances: wax for fluidity, bronze for stasis. Student experiences of drawing from anatomical dissections fed my fascination with the inside of things. I often use a forensic process of cutting and opening to transform works, inviting the gaze deep into the interior. Beauty has always been important. I’m a sucker for the hyperabundance of the Dutch still-life masters. The fading petal, the skull glimpsed behind the tulips, the little rose-thorn pricks of death, just make the living even more of a feast.
Rebecca Stevenson
More info: Website, Artsy, Instagram.
