CHRISTEL WAGNER GALLERY

Hannah Schmider

At the heart of Schmider's wood sculptural work is the immaterial inner life of her figures. It is important to her: how do they connect with each other and what abilities do they develop in order to find their way in a constantly changing environment? She attempts to answer this question through unusual compositions and fusions of humans and other organisms. In doing so, she does not follow pure naturalism, but aims at the inner core of her figures through subtle reduction. Schmider creates surfaces from the interplay of wood structure and cutting that fascinate through their traces of raw power and fine elegance with an immediate liveliness. The HOLD ME DEER exhibition invites visitors to pause and explore the concept of holding. Schmider poses questions about the manifestation of hold, its nature and its effect. Her sculptures are a visual poetry that turns the inside out and encourages the viewer to reflect on the nature of support and balance.