Samuel Wildman works in sculpture, video, and installation. As a handyman and a dad his practice is rooted in the strange and sometimes mystical bodies of knowledge embedded in the soft labor of caretakers, baby whisperers, and fixers. He describes his practice as a comfortable, home-like space that finds definition in the moments when familiarity falters. The objects and installations that he makes are inspired by the unpredictable forms that are produced when social and political absurdities appear as normalized, familiar, and home-like situations. What is an apartment full of smoke? a house full of water? The security of a public restroom? Same day shipping? Industrial ergonomics? If now is not the time for strong epistemologies, what is it time for? He uses his practice to bring the depth and focus of highly disciplinary fields—like industrial ergonomics, ecology, ceramics, literature, and woodworking—into dialogue with each other under an organizing agenda of care and criticality.

Born in Seattle WA, Wildman received his MFA in Art Practice from UC Berkeley, and a BFA in Sculpture from Rhode Island School of Design. He is a passionate and frequent collaborator and has received grants from 4Culture, SDOT, and City of Seattle Arts and Culture. Samuel has been awarded residencies at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist Residency, Monson Arts, Sou’wester Arts Week, Signal Fire, MADArt, and others.

He is the recipient of the 2023-24 Graduate Fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts, and the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award. His work has been mentioned in Sculpture Magazine and his collaborative project “bevintage” was listed by Creative Capital as On Our Radar.