The Artist
Tau Lewis, born in 1993 in Toronto, Canada, has rapidly established herself as one of the most distinctive and compelling voices in contemporary sculpture. Working primarily with recycled textiles, leather, and found materials, Lewis creates powerful works that explore themes of identity, diaspora, and collective memory. Her practice is deeply rooted in the traditions of her Caribbean heritage—her family hails from Jamaica—while simultaneously engaging with contemporary discourses around sustainability, materiality, and the body.
Lewis studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD University) in Toronto, where she developed her unique approach to sculpture-making. Her work draws on a rich lineage of textile arts, particularly those practiced by women of the African diaspora, while pushing these traditions into new conceptual and formal territories. Each piece is meticulously hand-sewn, a labor-intensive process that can take months to complete for larger works.
The Work
Lewis's monumental figures—often life-sized or larger—occupy a unique space between sculpture, assemblage, and soft architecture. Her signature technique involves sourcing vintage and recycled textiles, leather garments, and other discarded materials, which she then dissects and reconstructs into powerful figurative forms. The process of cutting apart and sewing together these materials is both a literal and metaphorical act: Lewis weaves together different stories, histories, and experiences to create new narratives that speak to the complexity of contemporary Black identity.
The surfaces of her sculptures are richly textured and deeply evocative. Pieces of worn denim sit next to fragments of printed cotton, leather boots become limbs, and delicate lace is juxtaposed with rough canvas. This assemblage technique creates works that bear the traces of their previous lives, imbuing each sculpture with a sense of history and memory. The materials themselves become archives, carrying with them the stories of the bodies that once wore them.
Lewis often incorporates found objects into her sculptures—buttons, zippers, jewelry, even hair—adding layers of personal and cultural significance. Her figures frequently adopt poses that suggest both strength and vulnerability: arms raised in gestures of defiance or celebration, bodies contorted in moments of transformation or resistance. There is a powerful sense of animation in her work, as if these textile beings might at any moment come to life.
The Breakthrough
Lewis's career trajectory has been nothing short of remarkable. After completing her studies in 2017, she quickly gained attention in the Toronto art scene with exhibitions at institutions like the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), which acquired her work for their permanent collection. Her 2019 solo exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection demonstrated her ability to create immersive, emotionally resonant installations.
The international breakthrough came with her critically acclaimed 2023 solo exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary in the UK, titled "Conceived in Reverence." The show presented a major body of new work and was accompanied by a substantial catalogue with essays by leading art historians. Critics praised the exhibition's powerful exploration of Black femininity, labor, and memory, with The Guardian calling it "one of the most important sculpture shows of the year."
In 2024, Lewis reached new heights with her first major American museum solo exhibition at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. The show, which ran from January through April, was hailed as "transformative" by Artforum and drew record attendance numbers. The exhibition featured over 20 large-scale sculptures, including several new commissions, and solidified Lewis's position as a leading figure in contemporary sculpture.
Lewis has also participated in significant group exhibitions, including the 2022 Toronto Biennial of Art and the 2023 Venice Biennale's collateral events. Her work has been acquired by major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Why Now?
Lewis's rise comes at a moment when the art world is increasingly focused on questions of materiality, sustainability, and the decolonization of artistic practices. Her use of recycled materials speaks directly to contemporary concerns about environmental responsibility and the ethics of production. Unlike artists who merely appropriate sustainable practices as aesthetic gestures, Lewis's work is fundamentally grounded in traditions of recycling and repurposing that have long been central to communities facing economic marginalization.
Moreover, her work arrives at a time of heightened attention to Black artists and narratives that have been historically marginalized by mainstream institutions. Lewis's sculptures offer a powerful counter-narrative to Western sculptural traditions, one that centers the experiences and creative practices of the African diaspora. Her work is both politically engaged and formally sophisticated—a rare combination that resonates with collectors, curators, and critics alike.
The art market has responded enthusiastically. While Lewis's prices remain relatively accessible compared to more established contemporary sculptors, they have been rising steadily. Works that sold for $30,000-$50,000 in 2020 are now commanding $80,000-$150,000 at auction. Major collectors, including those associated with the Rubell Museum and the Louis Vuitton Foundation, have acquired her work.
Conclusion
Tau Lewis represents a new generation of sculptors who are fundamentally reimagining what sculpture can be and do. Her works are not simply objects to be viewed; they are vessels of memory, embodiments of history, and agents of transformation. As institutions continue to diversify their collections and exhibitions, and as collectors seek out voices that speak to our complex, interconnected world, Lewis's star will undoubtedly continue to rise.
With prices still beginning in the mid-five-figure range for smaller works, and a growing institutional presence that includes acquisitions by some of the world's most prestigious museums, Tau Lewis is an artist to watch closely. Her upcoming exhibitions include a major commission for the Sharjah Biennial 2025 and a solo show at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston in 2026. For those interested in collecting important contemporary sculpture, Lewis represents a rare opportunity to acquire museum-quality work by an artist who is reshaping the field.