Hanne Friis (b. 1972, Oslo) is educated in painting and sculpture at the Art Academy in Trondheim. She is primarily known for her sensuous, abstract sculptures in various textile materials. A large part of her fabrics are stained by plants through slow dyeing processes which give the surfaces a painterly expression. The sculptures are carefully crafted by hand with a distinctive stitching technique; with a small needle Friis transforms the material by folding and pressing the fabric into organic formations and complex structures that generate a sense of change and growth. The ambiguity in the relationship between form and materiality is a recurring theme.
Friis’ works are represented in numerous public and private collections, both nationally and internationally. Among the most notable acquisitions are Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (2024), Kunstsilo, Kristiansand (2024), Haugar Kunstmuseum, Tønsberg (2021), Haugalandmuseet, Haugesund (2021), Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand (2020), The Norwegian Parliament, Oslo (2019), Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo (2018, 2016), Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim (2017, 2009), Oslo Kommunes Kunstsamling (2016), KODE Kunstmuseum, Bergen (2014, 2012), Kunstmuseet i Nord-Norge, Tromsø (2003, 1998), og Kulturrådet (1996).
