Gjertrud Hals

Like small micro-cosmoses inspired by mythological story-telling, Gjertrud Hals’ works seem to possess their own laws and logics, moving somewhere between delicate neatness and unrestrained inspiration. The Norwegian fiber artist’s recent wall sculpture ‘Sub Rosa’ (2021) is formed of a multitude of intricate structures, including branches, plants, and found objects, some of which are covered in rich layers of paper-pulp. Each is representative of a different period of time: Small buddha heads from Hals’ journeys to China and India years ago, flowers from old birch trees picked by the artist when skiing in the Norwegian mountains, and tree roots picked from the very soil surrounding her studio. Roots are a central and recurrent theme in Hals’ artwork. In her own words “Roots are fundament in life for man and nature; we are in a way bound to nature. As the most important but hidden part of the plant, the roots have their own underground logic. They spread tirelessly, forming themselves as networks in secret and reminding us of repressed parts of ourselves.” Poetically composed across the wall, ‘Sub Rosa’ seems to capture the traces of life as time goes by, casting moving shadows across the surface, as if still alive.

Color: Several colours.

Materials: Roots, twigs, metal wire, paper pulp, metal pins.