Dickinson Roundell, Inc is proud to present a collection of eleven new works by Elsa Hansen Oldham. This is Elsa’s second solo exhibition with the gallery which will run from September 7th to October 6th.
Elsa Hansen Oldham creates deceptively simple cross-stitch embroidery pieces on fabric. In yarns of gold, silver, colored silks, and cotton, the artist’s embroidered tableaus depict provocative juxtapositions of a range of notable figures, both historic and contemporary; Prince shares the stage with Harriet Tubman, Donald Trump with L. Ron Hubbard, Boy George with George Orwell. Hansen Oldham’s minimalistic compositions belie the social nuances of her characters relationships, both real and imagined. All whilst retaining the playful touches that her embroidery invites. “It’s very physical, it brings total stillness to your mind, because you don’t have to think about anything…” (T Magazine, April 23, 2017)
Embroidery flourished during the Tang dynasty (618 -906 AD) in China, and from there it spread westward along trade routes, eventually influencing Middle Eastern, African and European art serving to tell the story of history and educate people for years to come. Many centuries later, Elsa Hansen Oldham has revived the art of raconteuring through embroidery, revitalizing the cross-stitch and connecting cultures intertwining tradition and pop culture.
Elsa Hansen Oldham was born in 1986 and currently lives and works in Louisville, Kentucky. She attended Western Kentucky University, where she began cross-stitching and has lived and worked in New York City and Los Angeles. Her work is in various private collections in the U.S. as well as Europe and Asia. She will have an upcoming show at the KMAC Museum in Louisville, October 2018.