Kari's Leaf

Helena Hernmarck

2004

Wool

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A close-up woven tapestry depicts a large leaf with prominent veins. The leaf transitions from vibrant green on the left to deep red and brown on the right. Hernmark works in the centuries-old tradition of tapestry weaving, but she has honed a unique style throughout her 40-year career. Her approach to imagery, which she calls superrealism, interprets a snapshot of something ordinary at unexpected dimensions. The intention is to jolt the viewer into a new frame of reference. The complexity of color in Hernmarck's tapestries are owed to her use of materials, which involves grouping variously colored and textured threads in places where traditional tapestry weaving would call for only one type of thread. Gallery Not on View Gift of Helena M. Hernmarck