During her residency period, Christalena worked on the project “Transforming invasive flora for magical substrates & folk rituals”, which focuses on the invasive plant as a metaphor for outsiders becoming part of the soil on an island. She accomplishes this by using invasive plants to create pigments for dyeing fabrics.
The project combines plant pigments and hand-sewing to create art. She also discusses the conceptual aspect of human impact on plant ecologies. During the residency, she also worked with the island’s gardener to learn more about the local ecology.
The artist Christalena Hughmanick’s work was inspired by the enduring and profound connections between women, nature, and creation, weaving together theoretical strands from eco- and hydro-feminism. These ideas make no distinction between nature and culture, or the environment “out there” and the human subject “in here.” This unity is a guiding principle for how she and other contemporary artists create a sense of belonging and strategies for collaboration through their work.
Christalena is a visual artist, performance artist, and educator based in Reykjavik. In her practice, she creates community through shared experiences, while also playing with the roles of artist and viewer, as well as consumer and producer. These methods of social practice were developed during her studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she still shares her experiences with students and alumni. Her practice and projects are shaped and made concrete through international exhibitions, residencies, and ongoing teaching in various contexts.
