Sacha Ingber’s February Mortal Coil is a deeply layered and thoughtfully crafted work that epitomizes her signature approach to materiality, perspective, and domesticity.

Rooted in the still life tradition, the work presents a domestic table setting, complete with chairs, plates, and napkins. However, Ingber disrupts this familiar narrative by introducing unexpected elements, such as a found electric stove burner, which adds tension and intrigue. The composition merges a bird’s-eye view of a place setting with a perspectival view above, reflecting Ingber’s fascination with objects that exist simultaneously in multiple forms.

Closer inspection reveals February Mortal Coil as a calendar, with inscribed squares and resin-cast dates embedded within the background. A vibrant red coil, echoing both the stove burner and a bookbinding spiral, serves as a playful and rhythmic motif throughout the composition. Negative space, highlighted by diamond-shaped cut-outs, introduces abstraction and painterly gestures, creating a balance between fullness and absence. Above, an architectural plaster detail juxtaposes raw wooden framing with refined forms, further blurring the boundary between the structural and the domestic.

Ingber’s materials are central to the narrative. Each component is meticulously conceptualized before creation, as the slab-cast resin foundation—an inflexible medium—requires precise planning, leaving little room for change or error once poured. The resin’s textured aggregate mix of dyed stone and sand dust lends the work a solid, architectural quality. The artist’s handmade ceramics—including the plates, napkins, red burner coils, and chair frames—are crafted with precision to integrate seamlessly into the composition. While these pieces might initially appear to be found objects, closer examination reveals their intricate craftsmanship, such as the alignment of the lines on the plates with the calendar grid. In fact, the only found objects in the work are the stove burners and the bookbinding coil. This piece also marks one of the first instances where Ingber incorporated a bookbinding coil—a recurring theme in her practice—as both a conceptual and visual element to “bind” disparate components together.

Drawing from her personal history, February Mortal Coil incorporates faded hues and rattan textures that nod to the curvilinear forms and architectural facades of Rio de Janeiro, where Ingber was born and frequently visited. Although she grew up in Washington, DC, her household was profoundly influenced by Brazilian culture, reflected in the language, food, and sensibilities that shaped her upbringing. This cultural duality imbues her work with both structural gravitas and an intimate, personal narrative.

February Mortal Coil exemplifies Ingber’s ability to weave intricate stories through material, form, and symbolism, offering viewers a richly detailed and thought-provoking exploration of memory, structure, and time.