Donna Hapac

 

ArtistÕs Statement

 

I build organic structures by accumulating repeated elements, each one of which I make by hand.  The sculptures are transparent or translucent forms.  They may hang on the wall or from the ceiling -- or sit on low pedestals.  Light is a key element of the work.  It may glow from within the forms or shine on them, casting shadows.

 

My two bodies of work – the reed series and the nail series are held together with hundreds of knots.  In the reed series, I use reed, waxed linen, wire, and other materials to weave open spatial structures into gestural forms.  Constructed of many linear elements, my forms are like drawings freed from the page and expanded into three dimensions.  This work began in the early Ō90Õs in response to the idea of the basket as container of meaning.

 

The more recent nail series is botanical or zoological forms that I construct from acrylic fingernails and waxed linen.  Sometimes, I insert neon wire into the piece, so that it radiates a soft light.  Seen out of context, the nails lose their identity as female decoration and become translucent shapes connected in patterns.  The resulting sculptures are strangely evocative and somewhat humorous.

 

My artistic concerns are visual and formal.  My sources are the inherent structures and patterns of the natural world.  In a broader context, I feel an affinity to Post-Minimalist art, particularly in the use of simple or unconventional materials and processes -- and a formalist aesthetic.  My approach is experimental and intuitive and rarely involves plan drawings.  Although I usually start with an end in mind, I engage in a dialogue with the materials to discover possibilities.  Through this dialogue, the forms evolve.