Hugh Hayden Explores Bittersweet Nostalgia in Latest Solo Exhibition
Staged at Nasher Sculpture Center, ‘Homecoming’ finds surrealism in the familiar.
Hugh Hayden’s latest solo exhibition at the Nasher Sculpture Center marks a poignant return to his Texan roots. In a showcase of sculptural works, Homecoming reflects the bittersweetness of nostalgia in a world where the “American Dream” is ever-present, exploring histories of pain and tenderness through hand-carved thorns, raw bark and sharp bristles.
Best known for his wooden works, the New York-based artist conjures surreal forms from familiar symbols of family, leisure and athletics. The exhibition unfolds across two thematic realms: first, an adolescent mind grappling with the social pressures woven into locker rooms and cafeterias. Meanwhile, the latter half shines a light on haunting histories of race and labor through domestic scenes and art historical references.
“In each instance, he alters these commonplace objects in ways that complicate and subvert their utility and meaning,” the gallery writes. “Through his uncanny sculptures, Hayden shows us the strangeness in the ordinary and articulates his experience of growing up Black in the American South.”
At the center of the gallery, Hayden pays homage to Kidsville, the largest volunteer-built playground in the world, staged in a suburb of Dallas. In “Brush,” he covers a recreation of the iconic, all-wood structure in boar hair. While the bristles make the playground unusable, the artist hints at the material’s prevalence in barber shops and hair salons. In one place, boar hair is a means of discomfort, while in another it acts as an animating force in culturally significant third places.
Homecoming is now on view through January 5, 2025.
Nasher Sculpture Center
2001 Flora St,
Dallas, TX 75201
