Lydia Nobles

Lives and works in New York, NY, USA

Artist statement

I am a New York based conceptual artist critiquing societal constructs that affect gender. My practice engages identity and storytelling as advocacy by extending subjectivity within abstraction. I often blend readymade objects with abstraction to challenge the traditional placement of objects - typically furniture. I frequently use polyurethane for its physical qualities as it allows me to quickly form the base structure of my sculptures. I employ techniques such as weaving, braiding, sewing, and tacking with metals to express the body, personality, and mood of a moment in time. I choose materials that align with the conceptual framework of each piece. In my ongoing series, As I Sit Waiting, I collect video narratives of people’s experiences with abortion access and create sculptures in honor of their stories. Each sculpture conveys the act of sitting and is installed to reflect a waiting room chair at an abortion clinic. The sculptures in this series are visceral and communicate the complexity of emotions that are often denied to pregnant people due to shame, stigma and abortion bans. My work utilizes materiality to convey memory, the body, and reproductive histories. Some works repurpose a left-behind high chair or bassinet, others are constructed independently. Specific colors reference the energy of each subject. While the use of texture suggests passing a fetus, birth, and the magnificence of our bodies to support us in all its changes. Conceptual/Political Framework...

Artwork