About the Artist

Maia Lys is a multidisciplinary artist who primarily produces bas-relief carvings. These works employ the aesthetics of the past to toy with the West’s perception of classical antiquity. This anachronistic approach seeks to critique the ideas that belie European history, myth and folklore through the appropriation of a visual language that is widely recognisable. In an era of austerity with an ever-declining presence of ornamentation and artisan craftsmen, she aims to pastiche the intricate carvings no longer observed in architecture and, in some small way, resist the rising tide of utilitarian design.

Whilst predominantly using plaster for the initial carvings, Maia uses a variety of materials to create reliefs including Jesmonite, resin, wax, silicone, gesso and wood, with a focus on form, texture, light and shade, and how different display conditions can alter a viewer’s perception of a work. She also works with a diverse range of materials and processes to make sculptures, glasswork, and metalwork, as well as painting in oil and gouache. She takes much of her aesthetic inspiration from pre-Christian stonemasonry, Wedgewood jasperware, medieval fantasy and horror films from the 60s and 70s, and of course, Greco-Roman marbles. She is interested in the physical process of making within the framework of pagan tradition and exploring the significance of rituals and customs for the maintenance of community ties and cultural heritage.

Maia’s practice is heavily research-based and finds its roots in literature, history (with a particular focus on the medieval period) and the Old Testament, alongside more esoteric sources including alchemical manuscripts, witchcrat, mysticism, and the occult. This is filtered through the lens of memory, disability, and personal experiences of growing up agnostic within the church. She is interested in the intersections between Abrahamic and Pagan belief systems, and whether there is truly a psychological diference between established religious dogma and more alternative and niche belief systems that society treats with less legitimacy. Relecting upon her childhood reading the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault as an adult, she underwent a re-evaluation of the allegories of many of these stories with the benefit of a deeper understanding of politics and history. She seeks to question the undercurrent of Orientalism and racialisation in Western stories and art used to fortify existing power structures and justify the oppression of marginalised communities, and how art plays a major role in reinforcing colonial narratives. She also interrogates ancient stories from a modern feminist standpoint — not to wholly condemn them, but to encourage viewers to consider the messages that these parables are intended to convey, and what this can teach us about our cultural landscape today.