Saint Mozelle
- Artist: Tau Lewis
- Date: 2022
- Medium: Leather, suede, nylon thread, cotton, polyester and steel
- Dimensions: object: 2889 × 2460 × 1499 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the “Saint Mozelle” by Tau Lewis, created in 2022. It’s a striking assemblage that blends the tactile weight of leather and suede with the unexpected sleekness of steel, all threaded together with nylon, cotton, and polyester. The piece measures nearly three metres across, giving it a monumental presence that feels almost architectural yet remains intimately handcrafted.
Lewis layers these materials to form an abstract silhouette that hints at both sculpture and garment, evoking the idea of a cloaked figure—hence the title, a playful nod to “Saint Mozelle.” The juxtaposition of natural fibers and industrial steel speaks to the tension between the organic and the manufactured, a theme that runs through much of Lewis’s work.
The artwork is on long‑term loan from the Tate Americas Foundation, courtesy of Jeff Rosa and Ralph Tawil, and is currently featured in the “Sovereignty of Quiet” exhibition. Notice how the surfaces catch light differently; the leather darkens in shadow, while the steel catches a glint, adding depth to the piece’s contemplative atmosphere.
See it in person
Saint Mozelle is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
