Hugh Hayden (b. 1983, Dallas, TX) considers the anthropomorphizing of the natural world as a visceral lens to explore the human condition. Utilizing wood as his primary medium, Hayden transforms familiar objects through a process of selection, carving, and juxtaposition to challenge our perceptions of ourselves, others, and the environment. Working with objects loaded with multilayered histories as varied as discarded trunks, rare indigenous timbers, Christmas trees, or souvenir African sculptures, he often combines disparate species, creating new composite forms that also reflect their complex cultural backgrounds. Hayden lives and works in New York City; he holds an MFA from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. Hayden’s solo exhibitions include: Huey, Lisson Gallery, New York (2021); Boogey Men, Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL (2021); and Brier Patch, commissioned by Madison Square Park Conservancy, New York (2022).
(as of 2022)
