THE ENERGY OF LIGHT · 2026
Imperfect Vessel II
Carmen Van Velasquez
PRICE
$21,000
Hand-carved Carrara Marble and Blown Glass
MEDIUM
7.87 in. × 12.01 in. × 10.43 in.
SIZE
2026
YEAR
Imperfect Vessel II grew from a disc of ice I passed for days, trapped in a concrete barricade along the Hudson — water and light held still by cold and time. I set blown cobalt glass into a shallow void in hand-carved Carrara marble: strong, quiet stone cradling something delicate and clear. Light passes through the glass; the deep blue nods to sea, rain, ice, and time.
This work turns on permanence and impermanence. I think of the sculpture itself as an imperfect vessel — the way a body is a vessel, or a ship at sea. On the East End, I felt this plainly: the massive stones set against the lighthouse, holding steady beneath a restless, shifting sea. This piece carries that same relationship: enduring marble precariously holding something breakable.
About the Work
Carmen Van Velasquez is a multidisciplinary sculptor based in New York City. She works with wood, stone, oil and water-based paints, reclaimed materials, and glass. Through these mediums, she explores themes of impermanence, embodiment, sensory experience, and the human longing for connection. Through repetitive processes of carving, friction, and painting, she investigates transformation and texture, drawing inspiration from wisdom literature, art history, and the natural world.
A central tension in the work arises from its tactile qualities, inviting viewers to reach out and touch the surfaces. This piece is part of a wider series reflecting a yearning for connection while acknowledging the barriers that often prevent it, particularly within a culture that has become increasingly disembodied. Through the interplay of light and shadow, transparency and opacity, the works explore both the desire for intimacy and the boundaries that shape human relationships.
Her work has been exhibited across New York City and Atlanta in various group shows including the Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery (New York City, NY), Friedman Gallery (New York City, NY), and the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art (Marietta, GA). She has also received fellowships and awards from the Art Students League of New York.