Complementing Reality by Mette Saabye and Helen Clara Hemsley

Artist list

Helen Clara Hemsley, Mette Saabye

The diversity of perception of the individual topics is presented and mirrored by a work by each artist. 

As a part of their working process, Helen and Mette visited places that are significant to both of them, in Denmark and South Africa, and collected site-specific materials and impressions. They filmed, talked to people and photographed locations that forever hold memories and lived experiences. All of these elements create a living catalogue of things, feelings and materials, which are then used to inform their works.
By revisiting these places together, sensing and experiencing first-hand the roots of each other’s history and memories, they have been given a deeper understanding of each other’s worlds and have not just registered the information on a more general basis, but really have been able to put each other’s and their own narratives into perspective. 

This all results in works exploring notions of belonging, home, family and connection, celebrating an unconventional sisterhood.

Both born in 1969, Helen Clara Hemsley and Mette Saabye work and live in Copenhagen and are active jewellery makers, curators and educators in Denmark and on the international scene. 
Mette is a trained goldsmith (Fl. Larsen Studio, 1994) and attended the Institute of Precious Metals (1996) and Aarhus University (Material Culture, 2021). Helen has a BA (hons) in Fine Art (Glasgow School of Art, 1998) and also attended the Institute of Precious Metals (2010).
They have been working on Complementing reality since 2022. 

The project is supported by the Danish Arts Foundation, Danmarks Nationalbank’s Anniversary Foundation and Copenhagen Goldsmiths’ Guild. 


Opening Reception: Wednesday 4 March: 18.00-20.00
Opening hours:
Thursday 5 March: 10.00-18.00
Friday 6 March: 10.00-18.00
Saturday 7 March: 10.00-14.00
Sunday 8 March: 10.00-14.00