Beauty and the Universe Meet in Circe Irasema’s Unique Wooden Art Sculptures

“For me, painting is a question of time,” says Circe Irasema, a contemporary artist based in Mexico City. She explores how traditional Western art has been shaped by the male gaze, and how that influence affects not just the subject, but also the materials and techniques used. Preserving artwork in this tradition, she believes, also means preserving the ideas and power structures behind it.

In response, Irasema uses a feminine approach with unexpected materials—like colorful eyeshadows, powder blushes, and long acrylic nails—to create her wooden sculptures. Her goal is to tell a different kind of art history—one that focuses on the female experience, beauty, identity, and the fragility of life. Through her work, she highlights themes like the body, transformation, intimacy, and the domestic world, challenging traditional norms in powerful, visual ways.

Circe Irasema blends cosmetics and beauty tools with traditional art supplies like gouache and acrylic paint. Her colorful artworks include anatomical models and abstract wooden pieces filled with crushed eyeshadow. From far away, they look like traditional paintings—but up close, they reveal a powerful mix of beauty products and fine art materials. This fusion reflects how makeup and self-expression can belong in the world of high art.

Because eyeshadow and blush powders are fragile—anyone who’s dropped a makeup compact knows—they demand extra care. For Irasema, this delicate quality becomes symbolic. It connects with everyday life, emotions, and feminine experiences, rather than academic or elite views of art. She challenges the idea that makeup and fashion are superficial, showing instead how they hold deep cultural and emotional meaning.

Many of these works come from her series called Cosmic Painting. The title plays on the shared root of the words cosmetics and cosmos, both tied to the idea of order and beauty. Irasema draws inspiration from this ancient Greek meaning, which shaped Renaissance art through geometry and symmetry. Her goal is to rebuild these classic beauty standards using makeup—redefining what painting can be through feminine materials and modern vision.

Irasema is currently preparing for a solo exhibition at Carrillo Gil Art Museum and creating works for Art Basel Miami. Follow her practice on Instagram.