Artist Statement: Through my practice, I seek a comprehensive understanding of how the function of an object extends beyond its materiality and often communicates something unseen. My work is informed by my interest in a wide variety of objects and their purpose, spanning from ancient artifacts to items that are culturally relevant in the present day. The sculptures in this exhibition blur the line between figuration and more abstracted forms of the body. The figures in my work typically take a recognizable form, but the results are often indistinct to the extent that the meaning shifts. These particular forms were inspired by ancient funerary figures called shabtis, which were created to perform specific duties in the afterlife.
Bio: Maya Beverly is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York, whose work is primarily centered around Sculpture and Ceramics. In 2020, she received her BFA from New York University in Studio Art (Honor's Studio). She has been a resident at Women’s Studio Workshop and most recently, The Archie Bray Foundation.