French artist Stéphanie Kilgast has announced the release of her new book 'Utopia,' which documents ten years of her distinctive post-apocalyptic sculptures that envision a vibrant world where nature reclaims human-made objects. The comprehensive volume brings together a decade of her sculptures, paintings, and sketchbook pages, offering readers an in-depth look at her unique artistic vision.
Kilgast's artwork presents a speculative future without humans, where discarded objects become the foundation for new ecosystems. "In my artwork, humanity is absent, leaving behind its legacy of objects, buildings, and trash," the artist explains. Her sculptures transform everyday items that people typically find abandoned along roadsides, such as aluminum cans and glass bottles, into colorful habitats teeming with life.
The artist's creative process involves reimagining outdated objects that have become obsolete due to technological advances. VHS tapes, portable CD players, and alarm clocks—items that smartphones and streaming services have largely replaced—serve as canvases for her vibrant ecological transformations. These pieces create what Kilgast describes as "uncanny habitats" where flora and fauna flourish in unexpected places.
"Flora and fauna are taking over," Kilgast continues in her artistic statement. "Animals, mushrooms, lichens, plants, and corals are inhabiting every nook and cranny, thus creating new habitats. This symbiosis between the object and the growing environment reflects the balance and respect that humanity has lost, and that I symbolically recreate in my work by expressing hope, joy, and the beauty of nature in an explosion of color."
The 'Utopia' book features notable works including "Cycle" (2025), "Plastic Play" (2022), "Alice Following the White Rabbit" (2023), "Chemical Candy Dragonfly" (2024), "Snapshot" (2024), "Moving Pictures" (2024), and "Copper" (2024). Each piece showcases Kilgast's signature style of combining post-apocalyptic themes with vibrant, life-affirming colors and organic forms.
The publication will include complementary essays and a complete catalogue of Kilgast's pieces, providing comprehensive documentation of her artistic evolution over the past decade. The book represents not just a collection of artwork but a cohesive vision of hope and renewal in the face of environmental challenges.
'Utopia' is being published through a pre-order campaign via Dashbook, with a minimum requirement of 150 orders by October 3, 2024, for the book to go to print. Customers who place orders can expect to receive their copies in December. Interested readers can secure their copy through the Dashbook platform, and those wanting to explore more of Kilgast's work can visit her official website and Instagram page for additional sculptures and artistic insights.
