Organic shapes meet bright, vibrant colors and industrially manufactured functional textiles: The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) presents the first solo exhibition of Norwegian textile artist Hanne Friis (* 1972) in Germany. The third show in the exhibition series "Contemporary Craft" presents an overview of her work with 19 sculptural pieces, including expansive objects made of latex, silk, velvet, wool and Gore-Tex as well as new textile works that were specially made for the exhibition.
With her so-called "Soft Sculptures", Hanne Friis redefines the concept of sculpture. Her objects seem to grow out of the wall and floor like living, organic structures, often changing their form over time.
In addition, the special working method and the high quality of craftsmanship are characteristic: Hanne Friis shapes, folds and compresses the fabrics by hand and processes them with a needle and nylon thread using a hand-stitching technique.
The artist pays particular attention to colors and materials. The hand-sewn, cyan-blue fabric of the work "Impulse (cyan)" (2021-22), for example, is reminiscent of water or a kind of enigmatic natural phenomenon in its organic-looking form.
natural phenomenon. Hanne Friis chose a synthetic vinyl fabric for this work, whose artificial materiality is only recognizable on closer inspection. The neon yellow functional fabric of the work "The Mass (yellow)" (2011) has a signaling effect and evokes associations with high-visibility clothing. Hanne Friis deliberately plays with the spatial presence of her objects: "I wanted to attract attention with the color. It is very bright and intense and gives you energy."
The connection to nature and the exploration of organic, seemingly living forms is particularly thematized in the work "Trophy" (2015-16), whose effect unfolds through the interplay of material and color. The velvet used is made of natural silk and is hand-dyed with lichen and mushrooms. The result is shades of light brown that blend into one another.