Husø, Hanne Frey (NOR)
Caress from the Creation
This is Hanne Frey’s second entry into Paper on Skin™. Hanne is an experienced papermaker, and the work is made almost entirely of various types of handmade paper. The work carries a strong message about the threats of deep see mining in Norway – as explained by Hanne in her Artist’s Statement.
“I am making a traditional Norwegian folk costume, named ’bunad’. This costume was designed on the basis of what people wore when Norway became independent from Denmark in 1814 - during the age of National Romanticism.
Today the world is meeting a global crisis due to consumption of goods. Norway wants to do mining in the deep ocean for minerals - and we see that EU is going against this. With the rose bunad I am questioning the National states possibilities of solving climate changes. We are facing a global problem which I think we have to solve globally.
Researchers warn that the deep sea holds secrets - we do not know the consequences of mining on the deep sea. Norway is starting up a very risky project. I use rose petals to glue two sheets of paper together in the bunad I make. Rose petals contain chemicals we do not have full knowledge of. Something in the petals have binding properties - just like the deep sea. Maybe there are billions of plants and animals that have functions for life on earth that we cannot grasp - until we have destroyed them.
We will not be able to go back. But let us not forget: It’s our drift for consumer goods, like mobile phones, computers - and batteries for electrification of transportation, that make humans in need of these minerals.”
During the time Hanne made this piece, she disconnected from social media and checked her email and news less frequently. She did not use any electronic devices to make paper. “After many weeks working on the papers without any social media - I feel more connected with water.”
The garment was presented on stage with a poem written by Hanne-Frey and printed onto handmade paper.
Materials: Handmade paper. Kozo, rose petals, abaca, flax fibres, bamboo fibres, cottongrass, cotton.
See the Work on Film
Photos Credit: Grant Wells Photo