Photo: Bill Mudge
British artist Kendra Haste creates life-sized animal sculptures from a material typically used to corral chickens. Using hexagonal mesh—more commonly known as “chicken wire”—she layers the metal netting to build both form and to express the personality of the creature she’s conveying. For many years, her work has been exhibited in the UK, the U.S., and Asia, and now, for the first time, her sculptures are being showcased in Germany. Haste’s solo exhibition is titled Big Bad Wolf, and it’s on display at the Iron Art Casting (Eisenkunstguss) Museum Büdelsdorf.
Haste was born and raised in London, where she had little contact with nature and wildlife. The metropolis was her stomping ground rather than the forests or the sea. While studying at the Royal College of Arts, she became interested in hexagonal mesh, particularly for its linear quality; the material reminded her of drawing, and her work explores the concept of three-dimensional drawing in space.
“What interests me most in studying animals is learning about the essence and character of each individual,” Haste shares. “I try to capture the living, breathing model in a static 3D form and convey its emotional essence without slipping into sentimentality or anthropomorphism.”
Big Bad Wolf features 11 animal sculptures inspired by the native wildlife of Northern Germany. The menagerie includes wolves, a stag, a hind (red deer), a white-tailed eagle, a lynx, and wild boar. Haste’s work is juxtaposed with pieces in the museum’s permanent exhibition. The eagle, for instance, is perched atop a metal structure while a small herd of deer roam the displays.
“The Big Bad Wolf exhibition was an interesting and rewarding collaboration for me,” the artist explains. “I am thrilled that my work is being exhibited at the Eisenkunstguss Museum, especially in dialogue with the remarkable collection of historically significant and beautifully crafted cast iron objects. The steel wire mesh I used stands in stark contrast to the weighty cast iron works. I hope this contrast highlights the lightness, vitality, and vibrancy of my animal sculptures.”
The term “big bad wolf” is often used to describe a person or entity that’s threatening, particularly in cautionary tales. In this case, the exhibition title is meant to raise questions of prejudices we have toward certain animals, and how that affects our conservation of them, and how we co-exist. Wolves are a good example. Are they frightening? Or are they vital to the ecosystem and natural order?
“I hope that viewers will connect with them not only visually, but also through the themes, materials, and content of the works,” Haste explains. “The anatomy, behavior, and preference of animals have long fascinated me. My goal is to capture their essence, not as idealized symbols, but as unique, sensitive beings independent of humans.”
Haste’s hope is that Big Bad Wolf inspires us to reflect on the right of wild animals to exist, and to challenge us to redefine our relationship with nature. It’s something we must do. “In a time of ecological crises, mass extinctions and biodiversity decline,” she says, “these questions are more urgent than ever.”
Big Bad Wolf is currently on view at Iron Art Casting (Eisenkunstguss) Museum Büdelsdorf until November 2, 2025.
British artist Kendra Haste creates life-sized animal sculptures from a material typically used to corral chickens.
Portrait Kendra Haste (Photo: Iona Nichol)
Using hexagonal mesh—more commonly known as “chicken wire”—she layers the metal netting to build both form and to express the personality of the creature she’s conveying.
Photo: Bill Mudge
Photo: Kendra Haste
For many years, her work has been exhibited in the UK, the U.S., and Asia, and now, for the first time, her sculptures are being showcased in Germany.
Photo: Bill Mudge
Haste’s solo exhibition is titled Big Bad Wolf, and it’s on display at the Iron Art Casting (Eisenkunstguss) Museum Büdelsdorf.
Kendra Haste in her Exhibition. (Photo: Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation)
Big Bad Wolf features 11 animal sculptures inspired by the native wildlife of Northern Germany.
Kendra Haste in her Exhibition. (Photo: Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation)
Haste’s work is juxtaposed with pieces in the museum’s permanent exhibition.
Kendra Haste in her Exhibition. (Photo: Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation)
Kendra Haste in her Exhibition. (Photo: Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation)
Big Bad Wolf is currently on view at Iron Art Casting (Eisenkunstguss) Museum Büdelsdorf until November 2, 2025.
Photo: Bill Mudge