Porosity

Aesthetica Art Prize Final 

Porosity reflects Sam Metz’s sensory experience of the Humber Estuary. Bright yellow structures echo how they see the water’s reflection through ocular albinism (a genetic condition that affects the eyes, reducing pigment in the iris and retina, often causing visual differences such as light sensitivity, reduced depth perception and involuntary eye movements.) These modular sculptures centre embodied interaction, inviting viewers to explore through movement and touch. Metz, a neurodivergent artist, uses sculpture as a way to communicate non-verbally, drawing on stimming and repetitive gestures as tools for navigating both landscape and meaning. Porosity challenges conventional ideas of sculpture by integrating disability and chronic pain into its core form.