Hilda Shen engages the landscape through sculptures and drawings based on traditional Chinese landscape paintings and Scholar’s Rocks. Shen has long been interested in the experience of walking in landscape, the way that memories are accrued, depth is perceived, and places become connected through movement. Having lived near the Hudson River for many years, she explores her deep-felt response to the enormity of the river and its geology. The physical work on this project began in the studio by ripping sheets of heavy paper into random shapes. She applies ink to one side of the paper and waits for it to seep through in unexpected ways. The paper pieces are then coated with beeswax resulting in a rigid, textured surface. She pre-assembled the work in the studio to loosely conform to the wall panels. Then transported it in sections and installed it to the wall, where she continued to build up the surface. The result is a very dramatic plane slicing through the room that suggests the perpetual geological and human change represented by the Palisades through the opposite windows.

Hilda Shen has shown extensively in New York including the Lehman College Art Gallery, Bronx, NY; China2000 Fine Arts, New York, NY; Art Projects International, New York, NY.   Her work is included in Cursive, a group show at the Tenri Cultural Institute of New York, March 14 – April 13.  She was an Artist in Residence at Yosemite National Park last summer and was awarded several faculty grants from the Riverdale Country School. More information at www.hildashen.com.