Kirsten Hassenfeld, Dollar Dreams, 2002 (installation detail). Photo courtesy the artist and Bellwether, New York

HOUSTON, TX.- Rice University Art Gallery has commissioned a new installation by New York artist Kirsten Hassenfeld, whose translucent sculptures have been characterized as “extravaganzas of the handmade.” Hassenfeld uses the most ordinary of materials, paper, to create ornate, obsessively detailed objects that reference luxury goods, classical architecture, and decorative arts. Described by Hassenfeld as “dreams on the edge of vanishing,” her ethereal sculptures are carefully lit to evoke the diaphanous surfaces of precious gems and glass objects. Her installation at Rice Gallery will consist of the largest objects Hassenfeld has ever created. Structures six to eight feet in diameter, resembling gigantic droplets or the onion domes of Russian architecture, will be draped with clusters and strands of faceted, gem-like forms. Lit from within, they will transform the gallery into a dim, cavernous treasure trove. Rice Gallery’s opening celebration will take place on Thursday, September 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, and will feature remarks by Kirsten Hassenfeld at 6:00 pm. Complimentary beverages including ale from St. Arnold Brewery will be served. The event is free and open to the public. Lire la suite http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=21829