Today we’re stepping into the strange, beautiful world of Canadian sculptor David Altmejd. Born in Montreal in 1974 and now based in Los Angeles, David is obsessed with what makes a person a person—the body, yes, but also the mind, imagination, and whatever we mean by ‘soul.’ His figures often feel like they’re falling apart and coming together at the same time, opening little doorways into places beyond what we normally recognize.

What blows me away is his materials list: clay and foam next to mirror, quartz, resin, and even human and synthetic hair. He’s just as comfortable casting as he is building through intuitive, almost scavenger-style making—so every piece feels singular, even when it echoes another. Scale doesn’t scare him either: he brings the same intensity to a room-sized environment as he does to a small bust, packing surfaces  ...