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Karla Hamlet
Born 1980
Lives and works in Maidstone, Kent, UK
www.karlahart.artweb.com
Infl uenced by her background in classical and contemporary
performance and theatrical art, Karla Hamlet’s work is inspired primarily
by the relationship between the two principle aspects of life - The feminine
and the masculine and how they relate and unfold, within ourselves and
in the world around us.

Creation, beauty, nature, animal, human, womb, instinct, sex, secrets,
love, lovers, death, birth and life.

Space and suspension play a signifi cant role in the creation of her work;
how is a space altered by suspending a sculpture? Does the space
seemingly embrace the sculpture or reject it? Is the sculpture in a state of
grace whilst appearing to be fl oating? Or is it in mid fall or early rise? Is it
consensual to its position of possible contemplation? Or is it hung against its
will, awaiting its fate? Such are questions Hamlet encourages the viewer to
refl ect upon, in order to reach beyond the boundary of the appearance
and the aesthetic.

Crow has a confl icting appeal whereby one is drawn in almost to the
point of wanting to be wrapped inside its draping blackness (which emits
a sense of nurture and magnetism), yet simultaneously the scale and the
darkness of the sculpture causes a sense of unease and intimidation,
forcing the viewer to almost approach with a hint of caution. Completed
in 2014, the inspiration for When Life Blossoms & Death Rises, I Will Stand
Awaiting came from the cycles of nature: how death becomes life and life
becomes death and so on and so forth in a continual pattern. This huge
yellow fl ower can be seen as being in its process of emergence and bloom
or in its fi nal stages of wilting and death.

KARLA HAMLET has exhibited widely across the UK and internationally, shows
including; Knock Twice for Yes. Graham Clarke Gallery, Kent, UK (2009), Twelve A
Year, The Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK (2010), ReDiscoverance, The Gallery, Kent,
UK (2012), Joshua Tree Art Fair, L.A. California. USA (2012), HerStory, Covent Garden,
London, UK (2013), FEM, The Camden Centre, London, UK (2013), FiLiA, Space Station
65, London, UK (2013), Pride Against Prejudice, Nucleus Arts Gallery, Rochester, Kent,
UK (2014) and STIR, Marsh Ruby Exhibition Space, Waterloo, London, UK (2014).

Far right: Crow, 2014, Chiffon, Latex, Poly-fi ll, soft Net, Lycra Yarn, Bamboo.
h: 200cm w: 200cm d: 200cm, Artist’s Collection.
Right: Sacred Bleed, 2013, Mesh Fabric, Poly-fi ll, Hand-dyed Natural Wool Felt, Ply
Cotton, Viscose. h: 50cm w: 80cm d: 180cm, Artist’s Collection.
Top right: Yonika, 2013, Silk.
h: 80cm w: 50cm d: 30cm, Artist’s Collection.

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