Hansen recently unveiled a new, large-scale, outdoor public sculpture in downtown Pittsburgh, and is currently in residence while exhibiting at the Watermill Center in New York.
Public Sculpture in Pittsburgh
Professor Isla Hansen recently unveiled Ogua, a large-scale outdoor public sculpture at the intersection of Fort Duquesne Blvd and 6th Street in downtown Pittsburgh. Commissioned by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Riverlife, and Shiftworks, the piece is a multi-part, quilted steel and wool felt “river monster” installed to overlook the Allegheny River near the Roberto Clemente Bridge. The work draws its name and form from a local legend about a turtle-snake hybrid, originally told by the indigenous peoples of the Allegheny River valley and later adopted by immigrant laborers.
Watermill Center Artist Residency
This May, Hansen is an artist-in-residence at the Watermill Center in Watermill, NY. The process-based residency provides artists with the time, space, and freedom to develop their practice in a communal environment that encourages experimentation. Hansen is in residence during the final month of “Upside Down Zebra,” an exhibition featuring her work, on view at Watermill since last June.
“Upside Down Zebra” at Watermill Center
Curated by Brian Belott and Noah Khoshbin, Hansen’s piece in “Upside Down Zebra” is titled Block Party. This is the fifth in her series of 3D block puzzles and consists of over 60 individual components made from wood and recycled plant-based plastic. The exhibition, which runs through May 30, 2026, places contemporary works in dialogue with the Rhoda Kellogg International Child Art Collection.
