Elias Hansen

Though precisely staged, Elias Hansen’s multidimensional installations exhibit a palpable D.I.Y. aesthetic. Ripe with juxtapositions, these works often combine contrasting objects—elegant hand-blown glass sits curiously alongside discarded materials like light bulbs or rubber tubing. Handmade wooden tabletops or shelving also frequently occupy Hansen’s work; the artist spent several important years living with his brothers and friends on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, where the men were inspired to create from the natural, woody materials available around them. When staged together, these disparate elements have a twofold effect: on the one hand, Hansen’s installations reliably tackle dialogue relating to the social value of objects, particularly the distinction between prized possessions and designated trash. On the other hand, his staged scenarios offer slightly unsettling narratives, which hint at drug laboratories and the nearby or recent occurrence of illicit behavior. 

Hansen has exhibited his work through Europe and North America, with notable shows at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and the Pomona College Museum of Art outside of Los Angeles.