Janna van Hasselt’s work reflects her pleasure in materials and a strong sense of spontaneity and humour. It is tactile and exuberant, and she works with media ranging from printed fabric to puff pigment, ceramics and inflatables. The works often have a feeling of controlled chaos; knots, tubes, folds and stacks are van Hasselt’s forms of choice as she experiments with the tension, stress and gravity of each object made or represented. She also explores the idea of architectural failure, questioning how far her structures can be pushed before they will collapse. For this exhibition van Hasselt has recreated the template in ceramic with a lively patterned glaze. Each wall hung piece also comes with a playful cutout section which can be worn as a brooch.

Van Hasselt has been awarded numerous opportunities abroad, including print internships and residencies in Edinburgh and Belgium respectively. In 2013 she completed her MFA at the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago as a Fulbright scholar. In 2014 she won the Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award and she has been selected as a finalist in the Portage Ceramic Awards every year from 2012 to 2024 inclusive. She was selected to exhibit her large installation Chromaspace with The Dowse x Ngātahi at the Aotearoa Art Fair in 2023.