BLOCK M74, Residency, CDMX 2025
Medium: sculpture stoneware, glaze

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Edith Sévigny-Martel’s residency at Block M74 in Mexico City introduces a new body of work that marks a decisive shift in her practice. Developed on site using raw Oaxacan clay, Closed Forms departs from the artist’s established engagement with functional ceramics through a series of sealed vessels that assert themselves as autonomous sculptures. By closing the form, Sévigny-Martel eliminates any utilitarian reading, positioning the works within a sculptural lineage while retaining the tactile intimacy of hand-built clay. The resulting figures evoke quiet, anthropomorphic presences, reminiscent of guardians or mythic entities, shaped through repetition and an intuitive, process-driven approach. In parallel, her Material Exploration series expands this inquiry through the use of tezontle, a volcanic stone intrinsic to Mexico’s built environment. Embracing the material in its near-natural state, these works foreground texture, weight, and geological origin, culminating in a series of sculptural and functional compositions that evoke fragmented landscapes. Together, these works reflect a heightened engagement with material specificity, where questions of function, form, and context are redefined through the conditions of the residency. Closed Forms is accompanied by a series of film photographs taken by the artist throughout her time there. Invited into this sculpture-focused environment, Sévigny-Martel embraced the opportunity to deepen her understanding of Mexican culture through shared space, dialogue, and material exchange with the artists and artisans around her.