San Francisco-based Kristie Hansen is a conceptual artist working primarily in sculpture. Her work reflects a tension between the restorative energy of nature and the fragility of its resources. Concerned that the manufactured landscapes of destruction, exploitation and greed have displaced our relationship to nature, she aims to express our shared stories and the aspiration for a more harmonious bond between humankind and the natural world.

Early works took inspiration from years of shopping for second-hand fashion, transforming vintage clothing and accessories into assemblage objects. In contrast to the disposable nature of today’s society, she sought discarded objects from thrift stores and the street, focusing on those made from natural, sustainable materials. These unwanted commodities were manipulated to transform them into evocative works that raise questions about the environment, consumerism, community, beauty, and the world around us. 

Later, when a tree was removed near her long-time studio and left for trash, she took an interest in another symbolic discarded object. The result has been a new commitment to honoring the power of nature and the need to take care of all our resources. In our rapidly changing environments, Hansen’s work asks viewers to slow down and consider the simple beauty that is often lost in our fast-paced, technologically-heavy society.