Meet the designer behind the 'naked' body sculptures seen on Cardi B & Solange:
describes herself as a “sci-fi” artist. Looking at her dripping body sculptures, it’s easy to understand why.
Despite the complexities of her craft, Esmay is a one-woman-band. “I’m all by myself,” she reveals over the phone from Amsterdam, where she’s based. It’s hard to believe there isn’t a busy team behind her namesake brand, given the lengthy process behind every one of her pieces.First, she creates a mould of the body that she’s working with – “like when dentists take a mould of your teeth”, she says with a laugh. Next, she casts the mould, often in plaster.
Patience is a trait she’s honed over the years. She started experimenting with latex manipulation while studying at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and initially “hated it” as it “felt crafty”, she adds. Over time, though, Esmay refined the futuristic approach she’s known for today and was inundated with loan requests after graduating in 2017. From that moment, she started building a client base of personal customers, theatres – she makes props, too – and stylists.
Beyond the intricate nature of her craft, Esmay’s work comments on censorship and body positivity. “I’m working with a naked body so much, I sometimes forget that it can be shocking,” she says. “I think it’s the same when you’re a doctor! The nice thing about making moulds and making replicas of bodies is that body flaws are the most recognisable parts when you’re making a copy, especially when you make a realistic silicone copy. You’re going to start liking those [flaws].
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