Aksel Ree (b.1993) holds a degree in Interior Architecture from the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo.

In his marble reliefs, Ree fragments the human body as a reflection over the material and its ability to replicate skin. His work exposes the most intimate and vulnerable parts of the human body, mixing both contemporary and classical styles. With its delicate ornamentation, his works balances beautifully on the lines of kitsch and banal, while simultaneously drawing references to art history and androgyny.

In his most recent series 198C, Ree reflects on Plato’s Symposium and the story of the split of the human. According to the classic tale, the earliest form of humans were spherical with two sets of genitals, creating mayhem for the Gods with their behaviour. Zeus decided to split the human in half – leaving the navel as the mark of the split. The navel in the works of Aksel Ree becomes the most intimate part of the body as it represent the center of human connection.

Working in marble, Ree describes, is the most intimate artistic practice as it requires the focus of the entire body and mind.