Hedvig Sommerfeldt presents Norway Designs NÅ Vol. 5 IDENTITY with three sculptural bowls under the title "Fragility and strength". All the objects are silver and made using a several-thousand-year-old forging technique called corpus technique. Corpus engineering is a form of cold forging where a flat metal sheet is shaped into a volume using a hammer and anvil. Two of Sommerfeldt's objects have a wider range of colors that appear naturally when the white-boiled "skin" or surface of the metal is allowed to stand for a while in the room. As time goes by, more colors will emerge, and in the same way that skin changes over time, the colors of the silver will tell about the passing of time. The expression of the oxidized surface becomes a description of time. Two of the objects are thin, which Sommerfeldt believes can cause the viewer to be cautious.
Sommerfeldt makes jewelery and objects with corpus technique, and forges in silver and gold because these materials are good to work with. They are also noble and thus elevate the form. The slightly simple, old-fashioned way of making the objects is a nice contrast to the exclusive materials. Silver's color range varies from chalk white to black, and gold can be forged so thin that a bowl can stand and tremble. These are qualities Sommerfeldt values working with. She is concerned with the fragility that is expressed. The shapes seem fragile, but at the same time they are strong. Another aspect is being able to create something that surprises the user and the viewer. Sommerfeldt is a former Norwegian champion in the triple step, and this has also left its mark on who she is as an artist. She is concerned with the craft and the physical aspect. Being able to feel that she uses her body as a tool to shape is central to Sommerfeldt's work.
About Hedvig Sommerfeldt
Hedvig Sommerfeldt was born in 1982 and is from Fredrikstad. She has an education from the University of the Arts in Oslo with a master's degree in metal and jewelery art. In autumn 2015, Sommerfeldt moved with her family from Oslo to Sarpsborg, where she now has her own workshop. Sommerfeldt became part of BRUDD arts and crafts in 2013. There are 20 artisans who both work and exhibit their work in the gallery at Grünerløkka in Oslo. In addition to his work as an artist, Sommerfeldt studies Practical Pedagogical Education at Østfold University College.
