The creative sculpture of Cajsa von Zeipel

This is a press release for Cajsa von Zeipel. She is a Swedish sculptor who takes sculpture to another level. Yes, her subject matter might offend some and do something for others, but in the end it is awesome work!
One area I find quite interesting is the medium she uses. They are done in polystyrene and then the final form is covered in white plaster. I find this to be not only creative, but cost effective! Her work is being shown at the renowned Swedish gallery Andréhn-Schiptjenko. Please read the press release below.

Andréhn-Schiptjenko proudly announces Lento Violento, Cajsa von Zeipel’s first solo exhibition. Cajsa von Zeipel works with large format sculptures that carry references to both fashion and teen culture, the Renaissance masters and the classical tradition of sculpture. They are modelled in polystyrene and the final form covered with a layer of plaster. The white surface, the unclothed figures and the realistic depiction of the tall and thin characters have an aesthetic that is simultaneously appealing and scary. Her figures seamlessly move from the attractive to the repulsive, grotesque and studied.
Von Zeipel’s primary motifs have previously exclusively consisted of young women or teenage girls. Their associated attributes such as platform shoes and ponytails, serve as indications of a sub-cultural affiliation. They are often involved in subversive homoerotic games with a dark undertone. These works have focused on issues related to contemporary expressions in popular culture, questions of gender and explorations of female sexuality. By using the teenage girl and the fact that popular culture is critical to the construction of identity, von Zeipel has captured a world that is elusive, sometimes self-destructive, but also rebellious.
In her solo exhibition at Andréhn-Schiptjenko entitled Lento Violento (slow, violent), von Zeipel also includes sculptures depicting young men. The androgynous characters are all involved in sexual games and hierarchical conformation. The works are installed amongst mirrors, which allude both to the myth of Narcissus and the idea of self-reflection. Through their constellations, the sculptures come to represent different characters in a drama. The viewer gets involved in a psychological game between individuals, their lust and greed.

Cajsa von Zeipel, born 1983, graduated from the Royal Art Academy in Stockholm 2010.
She has earned critical acclaim and public attention through a number of sculptures in monumental formats such as Pretty Vacant at MOOD in Stockholm and Seconds of Ecstasy, an 8-meter high sculpture from her degree show, now in the collections of the Gothenburg Art Museum. Her work is also currently on view in the Borås International Sculpture Biennale.