Hungarian artist Ágnes Herczeg combines delicate lace art with the knotty branches of found wood to create scenes depicting the contemplative beauty of humanity. The intricate portraits showcase women as they recline, sleep, and gaze into an infinite abyss. Often, the wood is an anchor for their activities; it’s a place where the characters rest their bodies, or the floor on which they stand. Herczeg also uses it as a striking visual juxtaposition—the looseness of the lace and the solidity of the wood is at odds, but they are harmonious when linked together.
Herczeg’s lace sculptures are created using traditional techniques. “I have extensively studied the craft of embroidery and lace-making,” she writes. From needle lace to macramé, she incorporates a variety of these stitches into each composition. This proves a meticulous, detail-oriented endeavor. “Lace-making is an extremely time consuming occupation,” Herczeg describes. “It takes several days just to complete a small piece.”
Because the lace art is so tedious, it’s vital that Herczeg has a well-thought plan for how to execute the work. “Design is a significant part of the creative process,” she explains, “ because I have to think through not only the visual appearance of the work but its overall structure and the order of the individual steps.” Despite the rigidity of her process, Herczeg’s pieces reflect freedom and even spontaneity as the threads drape from the wood.
Herczeg sells a selection of her lace sculptures through the shop on her website.
Artist Ágnes Herczeg fuses delicate lace art with real pieces of found wood.
The knotty wood and traditional craft techniques create a beautiful balance of hard and soft materials.
Ágnes Herczeg: Website | Facebook
h/t: [Colossal]
All images via Ágnes Herczeg.
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