Resin

Resin—which can be derived organically from plants or produced synthetically in the lab—is a liquid material that can permanently harden into a transparent solid form. The Postminimalist artist Eva Hesse was one of the first sculptors to work with synthetic fiberglass resin, using the medium in her sculpture series Repetition Nineteen (1968) to create irregular biomorphic forms that she anticipated would discolor and deteriorate over time. Resin casting, a process in which synthetic resin is poured into a mould, has become a popular technique among contemporary sculptors, who turn to the medium for its low cost, durability, and capacity to retain almost any shape. The French artist Arman and American sculptor Dustin Yellin have both suspended found objects in clear resin, creating works that seem to defy the laws of gravity.