My sculptural practice is concerned with the deaths of humans and more-than-humans — the bodies that fall through the cracks of the system: children lost in wars, women to gender violence, adolescents to knife crime, miners to greed, ecosystems and bodies of water to extraction. These absences haunt me. I come to this work as a mother, a woman, and a migrant — attuned to the unbearable loss of children, the injustices carved into women’s bodies, and the dislocations of land and belonging — and as an ethical goldsmith, attuned to the scars of extraction and exploitation. These are not abstract positions, but lived realities that guide my relationship with matter.
I find meaning in transforming charged materials into physical metaphors that hold this weight. From police-confiscated knives re-forged into wearable healing rings to iron ore cast into the silhouette of a woman and her unborn child, killed in an iron mine disaster, I work with matter that matters — substances already marked by violence, memory, and grief. In the work matter is vibrant: never neutral, always alive, resistant, and full of agency. My practice resonates with feminist land art’s resistance to permanence and domination, privileging intimacy and care. I see matter not as inert material but as a collaborator — something alive to be touched, tended, and remembered, holding within it both scars and potential.
I am drawn to tension — the kind found in old fairy tales, where the witch eats the children instead of the candy. My works carry this visceral, uncanny edge. Domestic objects worn through years of use become collaborators: familiar, intimate, alive. They scale large, systemic histories down to a register we can touch — making grief palpable, making ideas physical. I believe in the seduction of craft, in its ability to lure audiences close and open them to difficult truths through tactility and beauty.
This impulse is rooted in my maternal lineage. I grew up among women who transformed matter through alchemical processes and rituals — cooking oil into soap, blood into food. Transformation was survival, and I continue that lineage in my practice. I work across sculpture, installation, and performance to channel collective histories through the intimacy of touch.
For me, making is both survival and resistance: a way to process humanity’s histories of violence and exploitation, and a way to invite others into that processing. My works open spaces where grief can be shared in different registers — sometimes through the quiet encounter with a crafted object, sometimes through collective acts of making. Through this convergence, my practice becomes a place where ritual, matter, and memory remain inseparable, and where grief and resilience are held in tension.”
About
Arabel Lebrusan (Madrid, 1974) is a visual artist working in sculpture, installation and performance, based in the UK. Her practice explores the material and emotional entanglements between humans and land, often focusing on how systems of extraction, violence, and inequality are inscribed in matter.
Drawn to the domestic as a space where broader social tensions surface, Lebrusan transforms charged materials into physical metaphors — mercury used in gold mining cast as a child’s hand, or a lump of coal reshaped into a fragile canary bird — to illuminate the human and ecological bodies that fall through the cracks of the system. Her work gives form to grief and resilience, inviting audiences to confront the scars left by exploitation while recognising matter as alive, resistant, and full of agency.
In 2021, she was awarded a research fellowship at the Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics at the University of Brighton for her two-year project Toxic Waves. During her Master at the Royal College of Art in 2023, she continued her exploration of extractivism through the lens of ecofeminism, ecological grief, and social history.
Lebrusan has exhibited and developed projects at Southcombe Barn (2024), Standpoint Gallery (2023), The Higgins Bedford (2021), Brighton CCA (2021), Women’s Support Centre, Surrey (2021), Museum of St Albans (2015), St Paul’s Square, Bedford (2012), Crafts Council (2008), Tent Rotterdam (2004), Lunâ Art Collective Gallery, Cebu (2004), and Gesundbrunnen Bunker, Berlin (2000). Her TEDx talk on ethical jewellery and her campaign for the Global March Against Child Labour reflect her long-standing commitment to social and environmental justice. She was named Designer of the Year (2022) by the National Association of Jewellers (UK) and received the Eastern Approaches Award (2014) from UH Galleries, Museum of St Albans.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS, PROJECTS & COMMISSIONS
2025 HomeLand. Socially engaged site-specific installation. Southcombe Barn. Devon. UK
2024 Femicides. Socially engaged installation. Quiet Down There. Brighton. UK
2022 Toxic Fragments; harvesting empathy & coping with ecological grief through touch. Fishing Quarter Gallery. Socially engaged workshop. Brighton. UK
2021 Toxic Waves I; Harvesting empathy and coping with ecological grief through drawing. Socially engaged performance. Brighton CCA. UK
2021 Blunt Blades – extended until July 2023. The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum. Bedford. UK
Blunt Blades Exchange. Socially engaged art project. Supported by Quiet Down There with Women’s Support Centre Surrey. UK
2015 Freehold. UH Galleries. Museum of St. Albans. St. Albans. UK
2013 Laced words. Site-specific installation. In collaboration with artist Kathy Hinde. Commissioned by Bedford Creative Arts. 1 St Paul’s square. Bedford. UK
2012 Large Lace: A Choreography of People and Pattern. Socially engaged performance at Bunyan Hall. Commissioned by Bedford Creative Arts. UK
2012 Lace in Place. Site-specific installation of socially engaged art. Commissioned by Bedford Creative Arts. 1 St Paul’s square. Bedford. UK
2011 Fence Ragging. Guerilla textiles. Socially engaged art project. In collaboration with artist Dawn Giles. The Big Lunch. Bedford. UK
2004 El Rosario de la Abuela (Grandmother’s Rosary). In collaboration with Olga Parra Benavides. Lunâ Art Collective Gallery. Cebu. The Philippines
2001 post_puke_bunny@hotmail.com. Moira Gallery. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2000 Duurzaamheid Verbeeld. Site-specific project with Hogeschool van de Kunsten. Utrecht. The Netherlands
1999 Park van de toekomst. Project with Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Westergasfabriek. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
1999 El cuaderno rojo (The red notebook). In collaboration with Laia Fábregas Ferrús. Cervantes Institute. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2025 Dartmoor Clayscapes: Empathic Journeys through Clay. Southcombe Barn. Devon
Folklore. Toadlickers Collective. Marine Workshops. Newhaven
Accelerate action. Equalities Work. The Foundry. London
2024 Adelaide Salon. December Salon. Brighton
Hysterical 2024. Hysterical Collective. Bermondsey Project Space, London, Uk
London Art Fair. London, Uk
2023 Cura. Curated by Celina Loh/In Transit. Smolensky Gallery. Manchester. UK
BRINK. Royal College of Art. London. UK
Hung, Drawn and Quartered. Standpoint Gallery. London. UK
Hands. Koop projects. Brighton. UK
2022 In & Beyond the Studio. Residency & Online Exhibition. In Transit Space, International Platform
Despite Extractivism. Extracting Us Collective. Online Platform
2020 In my house 4. Virtual exhibition. The AntiMA. Curator: Abigail Mille. UK
2016 Gothic Pleasures. Eagle Gallery. London. UK
2015 NN Open. NN Contemporary Art. Northampton. UK
MK Calling 2015. MK Gallery. Milton Keynes. UK
2014 Eastern Approaches. UH Galleries. Museum of St. Albans. St. Albans. UK
2013 Open Exhibition. Curated by Gareth Bell-Jones (Wysing Arts Centre) and Jennie Syson (SYSON Gallery). NN. Northampton. UK
2011 Eastern Pavilions. Norwich Museum and Art Gallery. Norwich. Atrium Studios. University Campus Suffolk. Ipswich. UK
2009 London Art Fair. Rebecca Hossack Gallery
2008 Art London. Rebecca Hossack Gallery
2008 Object as Muse. Crafts Council touring exhibition. UK
DNA. Rising talent at FORM London. London Olympia. London. UK
TREASURE at the Tower of London
Craftsmanship and Design Awards. Goldsmiths Hall. London
Art Hand Design. Central St. Martin’s, London
2007 Craftsmanship and Design Awards. Goldsmiths Hall. London.
2005 Kunstroute Noord: Business as Usual. Artinfuse. Rotterdam. The Netherlands
2004 …prospecten van nooit vermoed schoon. Tent. Rotterdam. The Netherlands
2003 Fotonoviembre. Tenerife International Photography Biennial. Islas Canarias. Spain
2002 Eindelijk. Moira Gallery. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2001 Utrechtse Kunstmanifestatie. Janskerk. Janskerkhof. Utrecht. The Netherlands
Private in public. Exposorium.Vrije Universiteit. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
2000 Kunst met een grote U. Verzorgingscentrum Titus Brandsma. Utrecht. The Netherlands
Who are we. Louka monastery. Znojmo. Czech Republic
Duurzaamheid Verbeeld. Griftpark. Utrecht. The Netherlands
Bunker(t)raume. Gesundbrunnen bunker. Berlin. Germany
Park van de toekomst. Westergasfabriek. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES & FELLOWSHIPS
2024 Quiet Down There. Residency at Brighton Open Market. Brighton. UK
2023 Collective Conversations. Residency with Social Circles Collective. Phoenix Art Space. Brighton. UK
2022 In Transit Space. Residency & Online Exhibition. International Platform
2021 Research Fellow at Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics.University of Brighton. UK
2017 Summer Lodge. Residency at Nottingham Trent University. UK
2014 Winner. Open-Call Eastern Approaches. UH Galleries. Museum of St. Albans. UK
2005 Arts for social change. Residency with Pioneers of change. Johannesburg. South Africa
2003 Arte y saber (Art and knowledge). Residency with Arteleku. Donostia-San Sebastián. Spain
2002 Comunitat/community. Residency with Fundacio d’Estudis Superiors d’Olot.Coromina. La Garrotxa. Spain
2000 Who are we. Residency at Louka monastery. Znojmo. Czech Republic
GRANTS & SPONSORSHIP
2021 Project Grant Arts Council England. Grant for “Blunt Blades”. The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum. Bedford. UK
2020 Arts Council Emergency Response Fund
2015 GfdA Arts Council England. Grant for “Freehold”. UH Galleries. Museum of St. Albans. UK
2012 GfdA Arts Council England. Grant for “Lace in Place”. Bedford. UK
2004 Private Business. Sponsorship for ‘El Rosario de la Abuela’. Cebu city. The Philippines
2003 CBK Rotterdam. Exhibiting Abroad Grant for “Fotonoviembre”. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Spain
2001 KF Heinfonds. Sponsorship for “post_puke_bunny@hotmail.com”. Moira Gallery. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2000 Hogeschool van de Kunsten. Grant for “Who are we”. Znojmo. Check Republic
Pritt. Henkel Nederland B.V. Sponshorship for“Bunker(t)raume”. Berlin. Germany
1999 Instituto Cervantes. Sponshorship for “Park van de toekomst”. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
Erasmus Grant. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Spain
EDUCATION
2023 MA Sculpture at the Royal College of Art. London. UK
2007 MA Jewellery Design. Central St. Martin’s College of Art & Design. London. UK
2000 BFA Fine Arts. Erasmus Exchange Program. Hogeschool van de Kunsten, Utrecht. The Netherlands
1998 BFA Fine Arts. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Spain
1993 Gemmology. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Spain
1997 Goldsmith Diploma. Centro de estudios joyeros de Madrid. Spain
GUEST LECTURESHIPS & WORKSHOPS
2023 Open Forum on Art and Activism: Extractivism and the “Green Transition”. Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics. University of Brighton. UK
2022 In Conversation with Sophie J Williamson and Xavier Ribas, moderated by Katy Beinart. Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics. University of Brighton. UK
2018 Fair Luxury at the Royal College of Arts, London. UK
2017 FLUX: Fair Luxury Conference. The Assay Office Birmingham. UK
2017 A panel discussion: sustainable jewellery in conflict areas. ISKAR, London UK
2015 TEDx Talk. TEDxBedford. Ethical Jewellery. Click HERE to watch
2015 ColLaborate2. Guest lecturer. Bedford Creative Arts. Bedford. UK
2014 Weaving a Web. Socially engaged workshop. In collaboration with artist Aaron Head. Milton Keynes Gallery. UK
2013 Associate Lecturer. Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London. UK
2010 Canadian Women’s talk. Guest lecturer. Quebec house. London. Uk
2010 Aesthet(h)ics Society. Guest lecturer. Warwick University. Uk
2005 Behaviours. Guest lecturer. University of Cebu. The Philippines
2005 S.O.S. Children Villages. Workshop. Johannesburg. South Africa
2005 CIDA Campus University. Workshop. Johannesburg. South Africa
COMMERCIAL COMMISSIONS
2001 Permanent Art Installation. Press Museum. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
Permanent Art Installation. Aboriginal Art MUSEUM. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2000, 2001 Trophies-Sculptures for Instituto Cervantes Literature Awards. Utrecht. The Netherlands
2000 Trophies-Sculptures for the Music Awards “Dutch Jazz Competition”. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
1999, 2000, 2001, 2001, 2003, 2004 Trophies for the Music awards VNP. Vereniging Nederlandse Poppodia. Amsterdam. The Netherlands
For The Jewellery Studio & Jewellery commissions please visit: https://www.lebrusanstudio.com
PRINTED PRESS
2025 Embracing Independence. The Art Newspaper. October 25
2024 Meet Hysterical’s next-gen of creatives celebrating art as activism. Bricks Magazine. April 24
2015 Exhibitions. Arabel Rosillo de Blas (Lebrusan) review by Skye Sherwin. The Guardian Guide. Jul 2015
Pick of the week. St Albans Museum. The Guardian Guide. Aug 2015
Solo Show Focus on St Albans. Hertfordshire Life Magazine. Jul 2015
Installation celebrates affluent city of St Albans. Hertfordshire Life Magazine. Jul 2015
Award-winner’s free exhibition. Welwyn Hatfield Tines Series. Jul 2015
2014 Artist Bag top prizes in Contest. Bedford Today. 11th Dec 2014
Arabel’s mixed media won the approval. St Albans & Harpenden Review. Dec 2014
2013 Almanac Festival. The Bedford Clanger. Feb 2013
2012 Lace in Place. Bedford Creative Arts goes Large. The Bedford Clanger. May 2012
Lace Inspiration. The Castle Quarter. Apr 2012
Lace in Place. The Castle Quarter. Jun 2012
Lace still in Place. The Castle Quarter. Aug 2012
2012 From sculpting to a lace record. Bedfordshire Times & Citizens. May 2012
Bedford Creative Arts unveiled its Lace in Place commission at 1 St Pail’s square in May. The Bedford Clanger. Jun 2012
Lace stays in Place. Hurrah! The Bedford Clanger. Aug 2012
Lace in Place – A response. The Lace society. Issue 198. Nov 2012
Lace in Place – Bedford. The world in Lace. Quarterly Journal of the International Bobbin and Needle Organisation. Nr 4. 2012
2005 Poppodium is meneer. de Volkskrant. Jun 2005. NL
2004 Grandmother should know. Cebu Daily News Life. April 2004
2001 Utrechtse kunst in Janskerk opvallend sober. Utrechts Nieuwsblad. Sept 2001
2001 Private in Public. Storing on een gebreide televisie. de Volkskrant. Mar 2001
2000 Waar Blijft ie toch? Rotterdams Dagblad. Jul 2000. NL
Im Gesundbrunnen-Bunker kam die Erinnerung zuruck. Berliner Abendblatt. May 2000. DE
Anstieg in die Unterwelt. Tagesspiegel. May 2000. DE
Nederlandse kunstenaars in Berlijnse ‘onderwereld’. Telegraaf. May 2000. NL
Utrechtse eierkunst in nazibunker. Utrechts Nieuwsblad. 2000. NL
ONLINE PRESS
2025 Embracing Independence. The Art Newspaper. October 25
2024 Women’s History Month exhibition raises funds for LGBTQ+ charity SE Londoner March 2024
Meet Hysterical’s next-gen of creatives celebrating art as activism. Bricks Magazine. March 24
2023 In Transit presents Cura. Manchester Finest. Nov 2023
2021 Exhibition with knives and weapons confiscated by the police comes to The Higgins Bedford. Bedford Today. Nov 2021
Contemporary Intervention by Leading Artist Arabel Lebrusan Opens at The Higgins Bedford: Blunt Blades. Bedford Borough Council. Nov 2021
Contemporary intervention by leading artist Arabel Lebrusan opens at The Higgins. Beds Bulletin. Nov 2021
Blunt Blades: Award-winning ethical jeweller Arabel Lebrusan recycles police-confiscated knives for new art exhibition. The NAJ. Nov 2021
2016 Gothic Pleasures. Review of the exhibition in Women in Art. Jun 2016
2014 Artwork exploring “hidden violence in homes” wins this year’s East Approaches competition. Watford observer. Dec 2014
2012 Celebrate town’s history of lace making. Bedfordhsire on Sunday. May 2
CONTACT
For Studio Visits and/or potential commissions just drop me an email, I’m always happy to chat.
arabel (at) arabellebrusanart.com
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