A trio of figures stands before us. These are the Weeping Women Sculpture by Sanné Mestrom. These sculptures are deeply informed by the artist’s feminist perspective. They engage in a dialogue with the history of modern art.
The Weeping Women make a concerted effort to subvert forms. They also subvert materials and techniques typically associated with male artists’ works. Mestrom’s sculptures challenge the male-dominated history of public sculptures. They might even cause you to double-take.
In Weeping Women, the female body is extolled as a life-giving force. The figures adopt birthing postures. They reference the Aztec goddess of purification Tlazolteotl or Ixcuina.
The female form is not portrayed as a tortured muse. This contrasts with Dora Maar in Picasso’s renowned Weeping Woman of 1937. Instead, the female in Mestrom’s work is self-possessed and nurturing.
Notice the breasts as fountains. The women lactate. This champions female empowerment. Their soft curved forms invite passers-by to gather around. You can sit and lay on her body.
Sanné Mestrom is a Melbourne-based Dutch artist. She works with traditional sculpture and contemporary installation formats. Her art references iconic 20th-century Modernist works. She creates experimental pieces that distort viewer perceptions.
Mestrom uses found objects. She uses concrete, ceramics, cast foam, steel, clay, and bronze. She assembles her captivating pieces. Her works often take the form of the human body abstracted. They aim to engage in a dialogue with modern art history. This history is typically associated with white, male artists.
The Weeping Women are large-scale concrete public sculptures. They depict the female form standing and reclining. They are in relaxed and assertive poses. The women are literally weeping. They are not weeping from their eyes in despair. Their breasts function as fountains.
Mestrom’s piece “Soft Kiss” from 2016 was inspired by Constantin Brancusi’s “The Kiss” from 1916. However, it has an elegant and subtle sensibility. Mestrom draws on these works to explore psychological, emotional, and cultural significance.
Mestrom’s reinterpretations are part of a wider discourse. This surrounds gender portrayal, the male gaze, and the impact of art history. It also concerns influence on our perceptions today.
These Weeping Women sculptures offer a powerful statement. They stand as a testament to female strength and resilience. They challenge traditional artistic norms. The Weeping Women invite us to reconsider our understanding of art and gender. They leave a lasting impression on all who encounter them.