Artist Statement 2026.06

Jef Biesinger creates sculptural systems that “probe and map the sensing body and the thinking / perceiving mind” (1). The fictional situations are contained within a metaphorical arena, activating the paradox of the psyche, in which characters attempt to cross thresholds to reach a metamorphosis.

The process is set in motion with drawings that map the narrative and forms, unfold the rules and conditions, and frame obstacles and a potential for the sculptures to embody.  The sculptures, composed of cultural artifacts and found/fabricated materials, operate as psychological apparatuses or metaphorical games - prosthetic tools for the body as an extension of our senses to filter interactions between our inner world and external conditions.

The work seeks to reveal patterns and construct mythologies for the characters and audience to enter.  By visualizing the landscape of the mind with metaphorical sculptures, the work proposes new insights into the psyche and its potential in myth-making, and aspires to enlighten the limitations and potential of our minds and represent a metamorphosis.

1 Frances Millar, Wall Label for Weathervanes, CWAC,  UChicago Department of Art History,  2026.03.27