Aaron Tiago de Aguiar

"Working with clay began as a search for a more tactile way of creating."

Although I've always been drawn to creative expression, it wasn't until I discovered sculpture that I found a medium that felt entirely my own. What started as curiosity gradually developed into a dedicated artistic practice, and the more time I spent with the clay, the more my own visual language began to appear.

Today I work primarily in stoneware clay, creating sculptures that explore the relationship between the human body and nature. To me, they are not separate subjects, but expressions of the same underlying forces.

Both carry the marks of time, resilience, and growth - reminding us that these are not uniquely human experiences, but part of life itself.
In the same way, i believe a transition is not separate from nature, but another expression of life's tendency to adapt and transform.

I find inspiration not only in the appearance of nature, but in the processes that shape it.
The way moss slowly settles across a surface. The way stone is softened by time. The way growth leaves its mark without ever forcing itself.

Some sculptures begin with a clear vision, while others emerge intuitively through the act of making.
Working with clay is both physical and meditative - a process of observing and allowing each piece to develop at its own pace.
Whether I sculpt trans bodies, female forms, or more abstract figures, my intention is never to idealize or define them. Instead, I allow them to simply exist - carrying their scars and softness.

A central vision behind my work is to create a space where anyone, regardless of gender identity or personal experience, can connect with these bodies and see them simply as something beautiful - something they would want to bring into their home.
You do not need to be trans to connect with my work - the same way you do not need to share the same story as a body to recognize its beauty. These sculptures are about humanity, transformation, and the courage of becoming yourself.

Representation matters because it shapes what we come to see as natural, familiar, and worthy of being seen.

Trans bodies have long been underrepresented in art, and through my work I hope to help normalise their presence. We deserve to occupy space in art not as symbols or exceptions, but as an ordinary and valued part of the human experience.

I hope my work reflects the underlying strength found in both people and nature - honest, enduring, and powerful in its simplicity.

Every artist start somewhere..

My first sculpture, made in air-dry clay, beside one of my most recent works. A reminder that growth comes through patience, practice, and simply continuing to create.