Hilda Hellström | Perceived Memory, Projected Future
"Jesmonite, silicone, pigmented concrete, glass, relief or clay are just some of the materials and techniques that are being used in the work of Hilda Hellström. In her practice, there is a constant movement. An essential and continual transformation from one material to another, from one technique to another, creating an openness towards the finished work of art.
In Hellström’s practice, no craft or material stands above the other. Instead, Hellström plays with the illusion and perception of the specific technique and the appearance of a material. Traditional definitions of craft are no longer maintained, and the categories become fluid, allowing the spectator to be suspended in a moment of uncertainty and suggestiveness. It is through specific tools and techniques that Hellström is able to contain and present her perception of the world. Through the use of creative combinations and compositions of materials, new interpretations and ideas about the role of craft and materiality are on display.
The exhibition Perceived Memory, Projected Future is a form of memory research combined with notions about the future. The pieces explore questions about one’s own memory: what do we remember? How do we remember? How does a memory travel and change over time? What memories do we have a strong relationship with, and why? But the future is also involved in the project. Since the future has not yet taken place, we can only speculate about what will come. The future is characterised by chance, dreams, destiny and the choices that we make. Questions about the future merge with questions about memory: it is in the union of these two that Hellström sees the present."
/ Magdalena Rozenberg