WIRRAL artist Ben Stephenson has been unveiled as the winner of the Liverpool Sculpture Prize. His work, Laminae, is a cylindrical sculpture formed from layers of rammed earth. With a hollow core that is almost impossible to see into, the work evokes mystery and interiority. 

Ben’s multidisciplinary practice explores the intersections of identity, ecology, and history. Working with raw and natural materials, his work investigates humanity’s evolving relationship with the natural world, drawing on mythology, colonial legacies, and environmental change.

His interest in rammed earth began during a residency project in Mexico, where he was introduced to its cultural and architectural significance. Since then, he has developed the material into a central part of his sculptural language, drawn to its sustainability and use in vernacular traditions across the globe.

For the Liverpool Sculpture Prize, Stephenson presents a cylindrical sculpture formed from layers of rammed earth. With a hollow core that is almost impossible to see into, the work evokes mystery and interiority. Monumental yet impermanent, the sculpture speaks to cycles of time, erosion, and regeneration—echoing both ancient forms and urgent contemporary concerns. Situated at Liverpool Parish Church, it invites reflection on the material histories that shape place and identity.

Ben says:- “It's a huge honour to receive the Liverpool Sculpture Prize. This piece reflects my ongoing interest in the relationship between nature and time; drawing from the vernacular of materials such as earth, clay, and sand to speak of cycles and memory. I'm grateful for the opportunity to create something rooted in the City's history and environment, and I hope the work connects with those who encounter it in unexpected ways.”

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company says:- “This is such a stunning work and we are delighted to have it installed for the next 12 months at Liverpool Parish Church. Public art plays such an important role in our cities, and this is such a striking piece which brings a story of nature into the heart of a bustling City. It is such a great opportunity to be able to showcase the best of contemporary art in Liverpool, and it is part and parcel of what makes life in this wondrous place so great”. 

Ben’s work was chosen by a panel of judges from the artworld and Liverpool’s business and civic communities from submissions from artists across the UK. The judging panel included; Miranda Lever from Diocese of Liverpool, artist Faith Bebbington, Curator at DuoVision James Lawler, Art critic and writer from the Double Negative Laura Robertson, James Minshull from Taylor Wessing, Joana Rowlands from ACC Liverpool

Liverpool Sculpture Prize, created and managed by Liverpool BID Company and Liverpool Parish Church, is open to any sculptor working and living in the UK.