Current Exhibition - Susan Hensel Gallery

Now Showing

Current & Upcoming Exhibitions

The focus of Susan Hensel Gallery is on compelling objects, meaningful use of materials, and engaging sculpture. It is a gallery where experimental ideas and works of the hand join to create unique sensory experiences. Opened September 10th, 2004 Susan Hensel Gallery is a gallery/ workspace presenting 5-6 shows per year in an intimate space, with hardwood floors and high tin ceilings. In 2013 the interior space reverted to a working studio for Susan Hensel where she continues to work on small and largescale artwork that engages both sculptural and cultural space. You can find her current work at www.SusanHenselProjects.com. The Susan Hensel Gallery is now both a large window gallery on Cedar Avenue, a main thoroughfare in south Minneapolis and an online venture represented on Artsy.net.

Exhibit-Geometric Stitch

Exhibit-Geometric Stitch. In the last 50 years, the multidisciplinary artist Susan Hensel has developed her practice by combining mixed media, such as sculpture and mural art, with embroidery through digital and manual means. The result of her innovative process is great proof of how the combination of different media can enhance the advantages of both classical and contemporary creative techniques.

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In and Out of the Fold

The Special Exhibit- In and Out of the Fold series starts off with revels in overwhelming color, serving to create moments of intense sensation. In a world of increasing speed and economic literal-mindedness, Hensel slows downtime through visual intensity, pausing these dominant concerns. But the pieces do not merely prefer the transcendent to the physical, rather they unite the two modes into a shared space.

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“Bookish”: New Art Exhibition

“Bookish” is the new Susan Hensel art exhibition and her latest work is a continuation and evolution of her renowned artist books. In “Bookish”, she presents fabric and multi-media pieces that depict the book liberated by Hensel’s vision and veneration. The series represents the deep reservoir of ideas and approaches born out of a long relationship between an artist and her subject matter.

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Dec 18th, 2020 – Feb 28th, 2021

“Bookish”: The New Susan Hensel Art Exhibition

“Bookish” is the new Susan Hensel art exhibition and her latest work is a continuation and evolution of her renowned artist books. In the new online series titled Bookish, she presents fabric and multi-media pieces that depict the book liberated by Hensel’s vision and veneration, picking up themes from past work and developing fresh perspectives. The series represents the deep reservoir of ideas and approaches born out of a long relationship between an artist and her subject matter. Discover “Bookish” – a Susan Hensel art exhibition.

Read The Exhibition Catalog

It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book...with pop-ups and pop-outs! It's a sculpture! It's a House. It is part of a community.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book! It's a sculpture! How does it stay in statis? The Lean-in series was conceived of just before the covid epidemic! But it somehow seems so apt to the push-me-pull-me of the stress of the changes brought on by the new global virus! It also draws on my background in book arts.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book! It's a sculpture! How does it stay in statis? The Lean-in series was conceived of just before the covid epidemic! But it somehow seems so apt to the push-me-pull-me of the stress of the changes brought on by the new global virus! It also draws on my background in book arts.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book! It's a sculpture! How does it stay in statis? The Lean-in series was conceived of just before the covid epidemic! But it somehow seems so apt to the push-me-pull-me of the stress of the changes brought on by the new global virus! It also draws on my background in book arts.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
It's a book! It's a sculpture! How does it stay in statis? The Lean-in series was conceived of just before the covid epidemic! But it somehow seems so apt to the push-me-pull-me of the stress of the changes brought on by the new global virus! It also draws on my background in book arts.
sculpture: Textile, Fiber on Soft (Yarn, Cotton, Fabric).
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
Drawing has always been an important part of my practice as an artist. I draw realistically, sometimes. But more often than not, my drawings are intuitive abstractions, representations of emotions or events. They are often diaristic without being obviously so. This piece was inspired by the memory of the Italian novel Il Visconte Dimezzato that I read in college. I can remember little about it except that the Viscount somehow had been cloven in half, and became 2 separate selves: Buono (good) and Gramo (the Bad) . It ultimately ended well.

Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
Drawing has always been an important part of my practice as an artist. I draw realistically, sometimes. But more often than not, my drawings are intuitive abstractions, representations of emotions or events. They are often diaristic without being obviously so. This piece was inspired by the memory of the Italian novel Il Visconte Dimezzato that I read in college. I can remember little about it except that the Viscount somehow had been cloven in half, and became 2 separate selves: Buono (good) and Gramo (the Bad) . It ultimately ended well.
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
When I travel to Lake Superior for vacation, I often set up a drawing challenge for myself. For this piece, I drew small pieces of driftwood everyday. I scanned the drawings into the computer, made compositions and printed the pages out on an inkjet printer and hand colored the highlights with opaque watercolor. The covers are carved book board.
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'
When I travel to Lake Superior for vacation, I often set up a drawing challenge for myself. For this piece, I drew pebbles everyday. I scanned the drawings into the computer, made compositions and printed the pages out on an inkjet printer and hand colored the highlights with opaque watercolor. The covers are carved book board.
Artists' Book, works on paper
Susan Hensel is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career, who combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. With a history, to date, of over 200 exhibitions, more than 30 of them solo, twenty garnering awards. Above all, Hensel’s desire to communicate stories through art continues to be a powerful motivator. Hensel’s artwork is known and collected nationwide, represented in collecting libraries and museums.
Are you interested in owning this piece? Buy it here.
Have questions? contact Susan Hensel at: info@susanhenselprojects.com
'

The Process Behind This Susan Hensel Art Exhibition

Due to the long hours and painstaking demands on scribes recreating books before the printing press, their output was limited to what the culture felt was most dear and divine. The illuminated manuscript was an artistic outpouring into the pages, a celebration of the wisdom inside, a book as a work of art.

Gutenberg’s press transformed the book into one of the first mass-produced consumer products. What once were handmade objects created out of profound reverence and attention to detail were now commodities that could be sold by the dozen. When Gutenberg printed his famous blackletter bible around the year 1455, it came at the end of an arduous process of design and typesetting, but it marked the desacralization of the book itself.

This metamorphosis created a fissure in the history of writing — on the one side stands the sacred art and craft of presenting texts, on the other the unstoppable march of industrialization.

The printing press facilitated widespread literacy and launched a thousand revolutions in thought. This new popular relation to the book created a different kind of holiness. No longer was any one book so important, but the book as an idea was now a living spirit in the masses.

Hensel’s Bookish picks up this legacy and turns it inside-out, using the archetypal physical definition and features of the book as a jumping-off point for exploration. It plays with this public relationship with the form, a well worn warm regard for the treasures of reading, and reconnects it with the more ancient legacy of the book as a one-of-a-kind art object that is valuable in itself.

But this is not merely swinging the pendulum backward out of nostalgia, because Hensel’s books are no longer carriers of the written word but works read in a protean, three-dimensional language. Her’s is a sculptural alphabet deciphered more by intuition and feeling than sounding out.

While Hensel’s previous experiments with the book were anchored to the original form, Bookish presses into the unexplored. Just as the name suggests, these pieces are like their inspiration, but they have become fully their own creations. That is what makes this Susan Hensel art exhibition so incredible.

The Color Pallettes

In both resplendent and sepia palettes, Hensel’s pieces explore a vast landscape of possibilities: mountain ridges, geometric eruptions, Memphis-style forms, curious fans that are pulled and deformed by pendants, and — on the conservative side — illust