Kathleen Ryan

This book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Kathleen Ryan, which was organized in 2024 by Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany, and traveled to Kistefos Museum, Jevnaker, Norway, in 2025. Featuring more than thirty sculptures dating from 2014 to 2024, the catalogue documents the artist's first major museum survey. Ryan crafts mostly larger-than-life objects, including fruit, birds, and spiderwebs, from found and reused materials that include semiprecious stones, bowling balls, and car parts. Evoking a mix of wonder, humor, and repulsion, her sculptures prompt reflection on consumption and waste, cycles of life, and the possibility of renewal. Fully illustrated with color plates and details, the catalogue features images of Ryan's sculptures installed in the refined historic spaces of the Hamburger Kunsthalle and two former industrial buildings that are part of Kistefos Museum. Forewords by Hamburger Kunsthalle director Alexander Klar and Kistefos Museum director Kari Roll-Matthiesen and an introduction by curator Jasper Sharp discuss the nature of Ryan's work and the development of the exhibition. Essays by Harry Thorne, William Pym, and Kate Smith-Raabe address aspects of Ryan's practice, including her use of materials, position within contemporary culture, and embrace of impermanence.