Ragen Moss

Light and dark, transparent and opaque, interior and exterior—the interplay of opposites motivates sculptor Ragen Moss. Rendered in polyethylene, her multidimensional works, often shaped to resemble torsos in a nod to traditional sculpture, invite you to look within, move around, and experience them. “I make work that engages what it means to have both a beating heart and a thinking mind,” says Moss.

The result is sculptures inside sculptures, each opening up to reveal another intriguing layer, achieved through hand-carving and the application of colors and patterns. Sometimes, she even includes text from the law as she also happens to be a practicing attorney.

On View: With a solo exhibition at New York’s Bridget Donahue Gallery opening in November, Moss also garnered attention at this year’s Whitney Biennial, where visitors were invited to walk between two rows of her hanging sculptures, which would gently stir with movement.

“Her biomorphic fabrications are beautiful forms within forms, reflecting internal and external worlds. It’s both simple and complex.” —Justine Ludwig

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2019 Late Fall Issue under the headline “Galerie Emerging Artist Award.” Subscribe to the magazine.