Body Work

Body Work exhibits Bird’s intricately created natural fiber works. Using willow the artist raises and/or harvests herself according to sustainable practices, Bird creates captivating pieces that talk about the complex struggles and triumphs of the body.

These works include her well known spiral forms that mimic the organic geometry of everything from the smallest creatures to the largest galaxies. The exhibit also contains sculptural objects that examine personal experiences of trauma and injury in diverse ways.

Experiencing a debilitating injury that led to two years of bedrest, Bird reemerged as a prolific basketmaker, studying under nationally and internationally known names in the field. Art was a way for her to overcome her own challenges, and now her work focuses on the precarity and frailty of bodies. But inside these bodies, Bird finds hope and narratives of resilience even in calamity.

In this large collection of natural fiber works, Body Work explores the unique, organic forms that have made Bird a nationally exhibited artist. The delicate weaving of the material combines with a mastery of three-dimensional expression — resulting in a deeply felt exhibition that epitomizes Susan Hensel Gallery’s mission to bring spellbinding sculpture to the public.

Bird grew up in the outskirts of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She began her career as a Public Health Nurse and has since gone on to receive a Masters of Arts in Human Development from St. Mary’s University, where she developed a model for achieving wellness through art.

Bird’s work can be found in collections across the country, including the Newark-Arcadia History Center, the Minnesota History Center, and the Art Partners: a National Cause Based Art Program. She is the recipient of many awards and honors, along with multiple Minnesota State Art Board grants to support her work. Bird is active as an arts advocate, teacher, writer, arts organizer, curator and presenter.

The Susan Hensel Gallery is delighted to bring Martha Bird’s work to their online space. The gallery focuses 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.

Visit this show at Artsy