Sofie Middernacht is a Belgian artist and designer whose practice transforms forgotten matter into meaningful objects. Working with discarded industrial materials, she explores themes of memory, preservation, time and transformation, revealing the hidden histories embedded beneath the surface.
Her ongoing series How I Got Over, originally developed in collaboration with Maarten Alexander, centres on the poetic transformation of decommissioned underground oil tanks into sculptural furniture. Preserving rust, traces of tar and the soil that still clings to the steel, Middernacht creates works that exist between sculpture, functional design and archaeological artefact. Each piece is unique, carrying the physical memory of the material from which it emerged.
Driven by an interest in perception, the human condition and the emotional life of materials, her work embraces imperfection rather than concealing it. Layers of epoxy preserve the marks left by time, allowing decay and beauty to coexist within a single object.
Before dedicating herself fully to sculpture and collectible design, Middernacht spent over a decade in London working as a fashion photographer. That experience continues to inform her practice through a strong sensitivity to composition, materiality and visual storytelling.
Alongside her artistic practice, Middernacht curates exhibitions and actively supports emerging artists and designers. She believes creative communities grow through collaboration, generosity and the exchange of ideas, and enjoys creating platforms where new voices can be seen, challenged and celebrated.
Where others overlook, she begins.
