Meeting the Los Angeles–and Mexico City–based sculptor, songwriter and curator, Janet Levy, was a gift from one of the many “ifs” of life. Our serendipitous encounter occurred at one of my favorite cafes when I couldn’t help but notice a woman at the adjacent table, lavishly adorned with an ornate necklace, who exuded an air of eccentric confidence. It wasn’t long before we were talking and I then learned that Levy was an artist whose practice centralized on stone carving, often utilizing alabaster. I knew a studio visit was in order.

Janet Levy, Pretty Dirty Things, 2011

My infatuation with alabaster began at the age of 13 when my mother gave me a bowl carved from the luminous stone. She explained how alabaster’s resemblance to solid marble—yet soft, malleable and transparent—led to its historical reputation as a metaphor for feminine strength and purity. I adored this bowl, where I stored my most precious treasures—stones, shells, jewelry and other trinkets.

Janet Levy, Fire Tip lll, (Bound Beauty), 2017

Entering Levy’s studio, I was enveloped in a chrysalis of calm. Consisting of primarily alabaster, onyx and marble, the flesh-tone forms of her sculptural work incorporated ropes, chains and elements of suspension. Erotic in shape and arranged in clusters, the pieces resembled dancers on stage, frozen in mid-performance—not surprising due to Levy’s passion for dance, film and music. Her works embody desire and unapologetically take up space. The stone carvings are often phallic and beckon to be touched.

Janet Levy, Golden Dream ll, 2018

Throughout her practice, Levy’s pieces often reference the pressures and tensions of natural phenomena that carry a sexual charge. Levy explained, “My practice reflects the sexual desire of wanting someone and the tension just beneath the surface that this generates… the same as a when a butterfly is about to burst from its cocoon or a before a volcanic rupture.” Levy exhaustively researches the dynamics of nature, and the results are clearly visible in her sculptures. Her latest works are on view at Merchant Gallery in a duo exhibition Twisted Two, inspired by the mating habits of snakes and the
Bender-Gestalt Test.

Janet Levy, Love Looks Like Fire, 2017

As Levy talked, I was struck by how personal her work is. Her practice references the delicate tensions of her own energies, desires and traumas in relationships both past and present. The process of carving becomes cathartic, transforming deeply rooted experiences into seductive alabaster and onyx that are then hung, bound or placed on display. The works articulate the whisper before the rupture, the buildup before the release, and reveal what was previously hidden. She explains, “For me, rocks have innate sexuality. While they are hard, they maintain a concealed softness. Sexuality can be hard and soft, pleasurable and painful, all at once.” Levy celebrates this fragile balance of intimacy and pressure, which no matter how nuanced or explosive, results in emotional exchange, release and ultimately, in transcendent expansion.