DENA HADEN: VESSEL OF LIFE
MyMicroGallery is pleased to present “Vessel of Life/Vaso di Vita” a solo exhibition by American artist Dena Haden. The exhibition consists of sculptures and installations created specifically for the gallery space. Vases have always contained, preserved and poured out in abundance everything that is sacred and vital and “Vessel of Life/Vaso di Vita” is an exploration of the vessel form through the lens of nature. Each piece is a contemplation of the way vessels take shape and occupy space, using only materials donated by the earth itself.From the beginning of her creative journey, Dena Haden has confronted the expressive potential of plant materials, including bamboo and flowers which then become her sculpture tools, whose forms echo the organic and symbolic essence of the concept of vase. The empty space within each creation is as vital as the form itself, hinting at the potential for life that blossoms within and is ultimately released.The relationship with the natural world on which Dena Haden’s work is based is also expressed through the relationships between the forms and materials of her compositions. Similar to suspended architecture, they reveal making art as a practice to connect with the questions that arise from the depths of each of us. From this context, rhythmic energies emerge which, through movement and matter, act on one’s state of awareness. The attention to natural materials underlines the cycle of growth, transformation and rebirth that the vases represent. Just as the earth gives rise to the materials it uses, the vases themselves become silent testimonies of transience, impermanence but also of the beauty of all living beings.The challenge is to embrace the inherent limitations and variations of these organic materials. Unlike their man-made counterparts, they defy the idea of total control and each piece becomes a unique collaboration between the artist’s vision and nature itself.This element of surprise and collaboration reflects the organic processes of life, where growth and form are rarely predictable. “Vessel of Life” invites viewers on a journey of contemplation and to engage with natural shapes and textures and to consider the stories these vessels might contain, the potential for life they represent and the delicate balance between containment and liberation. Ultimately, sculptures serve as a bridge between the natural world and the human experience, reminding us of the vessels that we ourselves are, carrying stories and containing the potential and essence of life itself.
Dena Haden is an installation and fiber artist from New Bedford, Massachusetts who uses found wood, metal, fiber, wax, plant materials and kombucha culture to explore the natural cycle of something coming into form, living, ever-changing and malleable, and the residue it leaves in passing.She views making art as a practice to connect; surfacing rhythmic energies and searching through sound, movement, material and her own state of awareness.
Dena Haden is the Director for the Co-Creative Center, a space that offers members the ability to develop and create the work they are passionate about, while offering the opportunity for community growth and collaboration. Haden is also the co-founder and team member for SuperflatNB, a Mural Arts organization in New Bedford, Massachusetts. For her work in the arts, Haden has received many awards and grants, including the South Coast Emerging Leader Award, Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and a Mass Cultural Council Grant.
In addition to her work in the arts community, she has an extensive exhibition record of her own, with numerous solo and group exhibitions in Boston, Philadelphia, and around the North East. Haden has also exhibited internationally in Europe and now Japan. Her work is among many private and public collections in the US, Italy and Turkey.