Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Kirsten Hassenfeld

Kirsten Hassenfeld studied at the University of Arizona, Tucson and the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence.Originally a printmaker, her work has shifted from paper sculpture to assemblies of recycled materials and large-scale woven wall works. Her translucent sculptures are characterized by a hand-made uniqueness.Since 1999 Hassenfeld has been using ordinary material like paper to create elaborate works where she expresses his obsession for highly detailed constructions. Her works use a commonplace material like recycled gift-wrapping paper to create hanging sculptures and woven intricacies.

Her art begins experimenting with the material she uses, reflecting the revival of traditional craft techniques.Hassenfeld’s work is an example of the new ornamentalism found in contemporary art, which has seen a resurgence in the United States over the last decade and directly challenges the hierarchy between the decorative and fine arts.Her mixed media projects are both light and intense, using each material to its ultimate potential.As she says, ” I started making environments that were about abundance and splendor, but almost in a generic way about the shape of the gem form, the universally understood symbol for treasure.”