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Listen to Yemisi Wilson: Material of Memory

Swedish–Nigerian sculptor Yemisi Wilson is now based in Stockholm, though she has worked in Pietrasanta since 1999 and lived there for fifteen years. Her work in marble, granite and bronze explores heritage, identity and the material memory of stone, and she has developed a fluency across an unusually broad range of materials — Swedish and Indian granite, Swedish porphyry and Spanish alabaster — each demanding its own tools and approach.

Yemisi's love of animals began early. As a child she kept four aquariums in her room, and that early fascination with anatomy has never left her. She has studied elephants, hippos and rhinoceros in depth, finding in them a testament to ancient times. For this episode we meet her at Fonderia Artistica Versiliese in Pietrasanta, where we watch the final patinas being applied to her series of hippos — each piece brought to life through a distinct choice of colours.

Alongside the animals, Yemisi works on a series of female torsos shaped by memories of her grandmothers and a commitment to depicting strong, independent women.

Episode 71 – Yemisi Wilson: Material of Memory

As always, you can see on our website materiallyspeaking.com, on Instagram, and on YouTube.

Enjoy listening. Sarah Monk producer, Materially Speaking