Like small micro-cosmic structures inspired by myth- ological storytelling and children’s worlds, Gjertrud Hals’ works seem to possess their own laws and log- ics, moving somewhere between delicate neatness and unrestrained inspiration. In the words of the artist, they propose a reflection “...on the relationship be- tween nature and culture, in which the lives of modern humans are moving between chaos and order. Forces of nature and war create chaos, after which a new order is elaborated, always both the same and a little bit different than the previous. “

Gjertrud Hals’ upbringing on the little island of Finnøya is profoundly anchored in her art and her relationship to the region’s nature and culture is deep and complex. Gjertrud Hals focuses on natural fibers that she trans- forms through various techniques including weaving, knitting, casting, spraying and cutting. Trained in the art of tapestry weaving in the 1970’s, Hals’ interest in feminism and women’s culture associates her with the new wave of women artists exploring the sculp- tural potential of textile. Like small micro-cosmoses inspired by mythological storytelling, Gjertrud Hals’ works seem to possess their own laws and logics, moving somewhere between delicate neatness and unrestrained inspiration.

Gjertrud Hals is considered as an important pioneer in the field of fiber art and is recognized as one of the redefining figures in liberating textile art from the loom and displaying it in space as three-dimensional sculp- ture. Her works have been acquired by private and public collections, such as the Centre Pompidou, Paris, France; the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, Norway; The Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, USA; The Mu- seum of Decorative Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland; Mobilier National / Les Gobelins, Paris, France and the Bellerive Museum, Zürich, Switzerland.