How do artists use concrete to address migration in figurative sculptures?

Artists have long turned to concrete as a medium to explore themes of migration, using its raw, industrial quality to mirror the struggles and resilience of displaced communities. In figurative sculptures, concrete’s weight and permanence contrast with the fragility of migrant experiences, creating poignant visual metaphors.

Contemporary sculptors like Doris Salcedo and Thomas Houseago employ cracked or fragmented concrete surfaces to symbolize displacement and trauma. Others cast migrant figures in concrete, freezing moments of journey or arrival in a material that echoes urban landscapes. The rough texture often represents hardship, while polished sections suggest hope.

Site-specific installations place these concrete figures in public spaces, forcing viewers to confront migration’s human dimension. Through material innovation, artists transform construction’s cold staple into a warm medium for social commentary—making the invisible visible, one sculpture at a time.