Kate Casanova’s sculptures seep and ooze a foreign, yet strangely familiar, sensibility at every crevice, coil and pore. The artist’s practice is entrenched in exploring the depths of what a human and non-human body can be. Her works are pluralistic and in process, shapeshifting into new forms that defy categorization and refuse to be fixed or defined. The work continues Casanova’s exploration of abstract, biomorphic forms that challenge binaries and notions of hybridity. Her sculptures embrace the boundlessness of being just one thing, toeing the line between human/non-human, hard/soft and organic/synthetic.

From a macro perspective, a cavern or natural void consumes the scale of the human body and surrounds it with rock formations or other natural growths. In medical terminology, a cavity can reference micro spaces within a body that contain vital organs, fluid-filled growths and masses. Casanova shines in her ability to create hybrid spaces such as these, which simultaneously reference the natural world and bodily systems. Unlike the sublime spectacle or grandeur of natural caves, which draw viewership and prompt outward reflection, the work draws viewers inward as they consider internal spaces that, although sensed, can only be imagined. Casanova’s practice embraces this murky distinction between inside and outside and dismantles assumed hierarchies of scale.