MILENA NAEF
Milena Naef (1990) is a visual artist who works primarily with marble and glass.
As the fourth generation of a family devoted to stone sculpture, her practice reflects a constant search for her own position within this lineage. Her works explore the physical and mental space of the human body—sometimes visibly present, other times concealed. The body becomes matter itself, challenging the duality between subject and object.
Her practice extends into a meticulous and experimental exploration of materials, engaging with a wide range and pushing each to its limits. This process allows her to transform drawings into sculptures and sculptures into drawings, generating a fluid dialogue between two-dimensionality and three-dimensionality.
In her work with stone, she challenges the traditional perception of the material, revealing its expressive potential beyond convention. Her glass pieces translate drawings—often inspired by urban space—while incorporating unpredictable cracks created during the firing process, interventions that disrupt and enrich the controlled act of making.
“I am fascinated by the idea that our bodies are in a constant ‘choreography’ with their surroundings. Due to the inevitable presence of our bodies, I believe we define ourselves through the ongoing interaction we are compelled to have with what surrounds us. Our own creations have allowed us to claim, cultivate, and reflect upon the spaces we inhabit. The ability to shape and manipulate materials transforms us through the very act of physical exploration. I see this interactive exploration as a reflection of ourselves as material.”
“When do structures inhibit us, and when do they liberate us—both ourselves and our physical form?”
“What is the consequence of the fact that our bodies are always ‘filling space’?”
