Karen La Monte: Sculpting Absence and Embracing Illusion Karen La Monte (born December 14, 1967) is an American artist renowned for her monumental sculptures crafted from ceramic, bronze, marble, and cast glass. Her work delves into profound themes of beauty, gender identity, cultural influence, and the natural world—concepts she explores through meticulously draped garments on invisible figures, mirroring a fascination with how perceptions of beauty shape desire and contribute to societal values. Like spoken or written language, La Monte believes beauty is rooted in shared experiences and c…