Artist Reimagines Flora & Fauna Colourfully Repossessing Discarded Trash
With a decades-long background in sculpting, Stéphanie Kilgast’s latest experimental project is a testament to her evolving artistry. Since starting her career in 2007 by creating hyperrealistic miniature food replicas, Kilgast has honed her skills to perfection. In 2014, learning about the environmental impacts of meat production inspired her to change her diet and consumption habits—a pivotal experience that she now channels into her art.
In 2017, Kilgast launched her “discarded objects” series and recently published a book titled “Utopia,” which features her designs and is available for pre-order. In a statement regarding the release, Kilgast said, “In my artwork, humanity is absent, leaving its legacy of objects, buildings and trash behind. Flora and fauna are taking over. Animals, mushrooms, lichens, plants, and corals are investing every nook and cranny, thus creating new habitats. This symbiosis between the object and the growing environment reflects the balance and respect that humanity has lost and that I symbolically recreate in my work by expressing hope, joy, and the beauty of nature in an explosion of colour”.
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In an interview with DeMilked, Kilgast reflected on her lifelong passion, “I have drawn, painted, beaded, knitted, and sculpted since an early age, so it made sense that I would pursue art as a career. While I’m primarily known for my sculptures, I also have an extensive painting practice and am a trained architect, though I’ve never worked in the field.”
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Explaining how the idea to sculpt nature-inspired growth onto trash suddenly made sense, Kilgast said, “Making art is just the way I live. I do art every day, even if just a bit. My style and themes come from my concern about the climate crisis and my interest in science fiction and dystopian worlds.”
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Discussing her creative process, Kilgast shared, “I work organically, rarely planning much in advance and following ideas as they arise. That’s why I enjoy working from home, where I can quickly act on inspiration. If I don’t, I lose the conviction to make it, so having fluidity between my work and life is important. Art is always around me, at any time of day or year.”
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