Liz Larner, an American sculptor known for her inventive use of unconventional materials, recently reflected on her 1988 piece Every Artist Gave a Breath. In this work, artists worldwide breathed over petri dishes, creating a unique form of international art made from bacteria. The piece was displayed in a 2022 exhibition, where some bacterial growths turned into colorful, dried wafers, while others transformed into dark, murky, greenish-black forms described as "a little scary." Larner often uses materials such as human hair, false eyelashes, leather, and surgical gauze, challenging traditional notions of art. For her first major UK exhibition, A Hard Line to Bend at London’s Camden Arts Centre, Larner has focused on transforming single-use plastic into sculptures that evoke both seductive beauty and an unsettling sense of danger. She began collecting plastic after China stopped accepting American recycling, prompting her to bring large quantities to her studio. One of her pieces, Meerschaum Drift (2020–21), explores the growing issue of plastic pollution in the world's oceans, reflecting on the environmental consequences of human consumption and waste. Born in 1960 in a California farming family, Larner recalls the use of DDT in her early years, which sparked her interest in environmental issues. She has engaged with eco-feminist thought, drawing inspiration from philosopher Rosi Braidotti’s 2019 book Posthuman Knowledge. While acknowledging the environmental impact of her own sculptural practice, she remains committed to reimagining materials and exploring their potential for transformation. Her work often challenges viewers to consider the relationship between human activity and the natural world. Larner’s ceramic "asteroids," such as Nyx (2022), are inspired by NASA photographs of celestial bodies and transformed into 3D forms with glazed surfaces. She is also fascinated by the interaction between color and form, paraphrasing philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein’s inquiry into how we perceive color. Her goal is to create works where both color and form hold equal significance, inviting viewers to experience her art through both visual and conceptual engagement. The namesake piece of the exhibition was inspired by the Burney Relief, a Babylonian terracotta plaque believed to depict the mythological figure Lilith, who defied her fate as Adam’s wife. Larner draws parallels between Lilith and feminist icons like Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton, highlighting their courage and grace in forging their own paths. She studied at the California Institute of the Arts with John Baldessari, recalling a dynamic and open art school environment that included artists, poets, and writers like Dennis Cooper and Mike Kelley. She contrasts this with today’s digital culture, emphasizing the differences between pre- and post-internet artistic experiences. Despite not being active on social media, Larner believes in the power of sculpture to reshape reality. She encourages viewers to engage physically and intellectually with her work, believing that the tangible nature of sculpture allows for a deeper, more immersive experience compared to digital media.