In our ever-digitized world, where the average smartphone user spends five hours a day on their phone, we find ourselves in a strange loop of overstimulation. Doomscrolling, social media overload, fast-paced environments, and hyper-consumerism are taking a toll on our collective mental health. It’s no surprise, then, that many are searching for a counterbalance—something slower, grounded, and human.

This is where Belgian sculptor Allaeys enters, whose latest sculpture series seem to pause time. They stand as quiet meditations, tactile counterpoints to the chaotic blur of modern life.

Allaeys’ own artistic journey reflects this shift—from the digital to the primal, from fleeting screens to the enduring touch of the hand. She started her career - or life path as she prefers to call it - in the branch of technology back in 2004, by creating digital avatars to empower young girls. Already then her focus was in creating simplicity in the visual form:

“I was happy to find this language that actually could take the complexity of the world and break it down in simple steps and bring that again to the public in a very easy, but smart and fun way. ”

— Nordic Art Agency Podcast

But after working for so long in the digital universe, she felt a craving for working with matter. She needed the contrast of the simplicity in the tactile matter, against the complexity in tech. In the Nordic Art Agency Podcast, Allaeys mentions how this is a collective feeling in the world - how we’re all starting to rediscover more simple ways of communicating.

When sculpting, Allaeys tunes in to her feelings, instead of thoughts. She describes the process as highly intuitive, as shutting down the brain to zero. She explains that when she lets her body take over, she discovers new parts of herself that she didn’t expect nor could be able to express in words.

Her animal sculptures are reduced to their essence—simple shapes that still carry weight, both physically and emotionally. The O.W.L. stands like a column—rooted and observing. The B.O.A.R., with its thick legs and grounded posture, feels like a gentle guardian. These aren’t merely minimalist figures—they emit a sort of energetic stability. In a world of constant updates, these forms remain still. They invite calm.

What strikes me most is how Allaeys encourages the viewer to touch the sculptures. To hold them. The form perfectly fits in the shape of the palm, transforming the act of viewing into a full-body, sensory experience. In that interaction, we’re reminded of the human hand behind the work. And we’re reminded of time - real time - the kind that unfolds slowly, with intention.

Q.U.E.E.N + K.I.N.G Fisher - There for You

That idea of time is crucial. Bronze, Allaeys’ material of choice, is arguably important. It carries millennia of artistic lineage; one of the first mediums humans ever learned to master. Yet, despite its weight and seeming permanence, bronze is ever-changing. Its surface alters slowly and subtly through water, touch, and air. It’s a material that reminds us of change at a human pace, not a digital one. Change that takes years.

And there’s that weight - the literal kind. Holding one of Allaeys’ sculptures is like cradling a stone or a small animal. It’s grounding. Like a weighted blanket, it reassures the hand, calms the nervous system. The artist herself describes her sculptures as links between our daily life and something broader than ourselves. A link to reconnect to numbed desires.

“Sometimes I call them tools to kickstart, or to boost, our feelings again.”

— Nordic Art Agency Podcast

Allaeys’ sculptures might not reflect where we all are right now, but they do point to where many of us want to go. They offer an alternative: a return to touch, simplicity, intuition and to being fully present.

I hope we get there soon.

What about you?

SOULSONG is the current exhibition of bronze sculpture by Allaeys at the Nordic Art Agency. The exhibition continues until May 24th.

Author:

Julia Lobosco

Reference:

Statistics about how many hours we spend on our phones: (https://www.linkmobility.com/sv/blog/mobil-och-appanvandning-statistik-och-trender-for-2023)

Nordic Art Agency Podcast: Allaeys in Conversation.