Siobhán Hapaska was born in Belfast. She studied at Middlesex Polytechnic, London 1985-88 and Goldsmiths College, University of London 1990-92. She was awarded the IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin) Glen Dimplex Award in 1998, and has been selected to represent Ireland at the XLVIV Venice Biennale in 2001.

Hapaska’s sculpture moves effortlessly between abstraction and figuration. Her glossy opalescent wall-mounted works in fibreglass defy definition, but are reminiscent of parts of vehicles associated with of high-speed travel. Floor based works have a similar high finish but their shapes and titles suggest something more organic, emphasised by the fact she has on occasion incorporated plant forms into the works. The hyper-realist sculptures, frequently shown alongside the abstracted works, create an unexpected counterpart. She has said: ? I think some people get very uneasy when they can’t find immediate, concrete explanations. I like ideas that are adrift. When things are not absolutes they become more interesting, because it throws the responsibility back on you, to understand what you might be.”

Hapaska had a solo exhibition, St Christopher’s Legless, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London in 1995. A touring solo show organised by Oriel, the Arts Council of Wales’ Gallery, Cardiff followed in 1997. That same year she was selected to show in Documenta X, Kassel and had her first solo show in New York at the Tanya Bonakdar Gallery. She had a solo show presented by the Saison Art Programme, Tokyo in 1999 and was shown with Ernesto Neto and Charles Long at Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall in 2000. Her work is included in major collections. Hapaska lives and works in London.

Further reading:
Kate Bush: Siobhán Hapaska, Oriel, The Arts Council of Wales’ Gallery, Cardiff, 1997 James Roberts, an interview with Suzanne Cotter: Siobhán Hapaska, Saison Art Programme, Sezon Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, 1999

 

Glossary

  • Abstraction

    To abstract means to remove, and in the art sense it means that artist has removed or withheld references to an object, landscape or figure to produce a simplified or schematic work. This method of creating art has led to many critical theories; some theorists considered this the purest form of art: art for art’s sake. Unconcerned as it is with materiality, abstraction is often considered as representing the spiritual.

  • Contemporary

    Existing or coming into being at the same period; of today or of the present. The term that designates art being made today.

  • Fibreglass

    A light and durable material made from glass filaments embedded in plastic that can be moulded, stained or painted.

  • Sculpture

    A three-dimensional work of art. Such works may be carved, modelled, constructed, or cast. Sculptures can also be described as assemblage, in the round, relief, and made in a huge variety of media. Contemporary practice also includes live elements, as in Gilbert & George 'Living Sculpture' as well as broadcast work, radio or sound sculpture.

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