Maité Wagemans

A R T : M A I T É W A G E M A N S

Somebody Nobody

Peaceful Rest All four images: © Olivier Papegnies

Maité Wagemans (b. 1982) graduated from the Visual Arts Academy of Mol (province of Antwerp, Belgium) and holds a master's degree in International Relations from the Free University of Brussels. After several years of professional life away from the art world, she suffered burnout and depression. She recovered thanks to a return to art and artistic expression, and in particular, thanks to the possibility of exploring the third dimension that clay sculpting offers.

Artist statement: Before starting the realization of a sculpture, it is first a precise and well-defined idea in my mind. The first phase is the desire to treat a subject. Then come the symbols, objects or other elements that I will model to address this subject. As I go along, the project takes shape, and the technical aspect is refined. I visualize the sculptural constraints and bring a solution to them. When everything is in place mentally, the work of the clay begins. It happens that the technical reflection pushes the material to its limits. It is the emotions I wish to express that guide me in my work. The subjects I approach are those to which I react with the most sensitivity. My creative process follows a very instinctive dynamic. The invisible plays an important role in my sculptures because it allows me to evoke and suggest, which creates the necessary space for expressing emotions. It is the fundamental complement of the tangible parts of the sculpture.

IG: @maite_ wagemans_art