A VERY PHYSICAL ARTIST Johanna Thomas-Corr Thursday 19 October 2006 In a central London gallery filled with gigantic copper feathers, grand Geisha hairpieces and hefty concrete sculptures you can just about spot their tiny creator, dwarfed by her own work. Yasemen Huseein - sculptor, artist, welder, all round artist and craftswoman - looks almost fragile as she winds around her robust exhibits. You wonder how the diminutive 35-year old could possibly have the strength to bend, weld, mould, wrench and solder these intriguing mixed media art-works into life. In a light-filled, square room you can find glut of her aesthetic treats including exquisite and eccentric hairpieces made from copper wire, smooth-contoured concrete furniture, luscious sugar and glucose pomegranates and a array of erotic, henna painted Pan Pictures. Clad in a pashmina the svelte Birmingham-born artist of Turkish-Cypriot descent is a picture of elegance. Her shock of tight curls has been tamed by a sleek up-do. Hussein is bubbly and hugely entertaining with a fiery wit and a disarmingly forthright manner. Dismissing any whiff of artistic preciousness, she calls anyone she's known for more than five minutes "Sunshine" in her generous Brummie tones. It's surprising to find that such a petite frame can contain such a gigantic personality, raucous laugh and such ample talent. "I get energy from the decisions to made from physically working with materials" she says. "I love how the solder melts into the copper. I love bending the copper into graceful lines, I love the way my moulding wax melts to the heat of my hands." For some, such a description of a working process may sound pretentious, but when you hear Hussein run through these sensual pleasures, you can't help but be won round by her passion and sincerity. Visitors are drawn to her stunning range of hairpieces which she has soldered and patinated with remarkable dexterity and a bold eye for detail.. Amongst a tightly coiled Buddha head-dress, a fine Lulu style piece and some arresting Geisha hairdos, the most eye-catching piece is a swooping turquoise green Rapunzel-style sculpture-part serpentine, part warrior princess. Across the room, you see Hussein's humour captured in her fiery red tribute to the Madonna "flick" style as well as her electric Norma Jean do, and there's a nod to the pomp and powder of the French court with a breath taking Antoinette wig,complete with a feather. Hussein has even fashioned her own plinths for the hairpieces. After a spell in California, she was given the opportunity to take a class with established cast concrete counter specialist Fu Tong Cheng and has been experimenting with making her own tables and stools ever since. These Mig-welded steel and concrete structures inset with floral patterning are the height of modernist sophistication. RANGE OF TALENT The most impressive thing about Hussein is her diversity. Not only how she translates so many of her ideas into incredible sculptures, but the artisanal proficiency involved. How she turns her hand to so many different materials - welding steel, copper, brass, concrete, wax, clay, wood, glass, even wool - and still fashion works of meticulous precision is quite mesmerising. As her erotic henna paintings of Pan prove, she's also a dab hand with a paintbrush, bringing depth and texture to every piece. Rather than holding any theoretical concept or philosophy, Hussein revels unashamedly in aesthetics. Her art comes from exploring her reactions to beauty. "My intention is not to confuse or confront the viewer. I know it sounds like a cliché', but beauty is my starting point, my intention. "Mostly it's something I can see or touch. It can be a painting, a photograph, a story, a found object, or a celebrity from the past - usually poets, writers, ballet dancers. Anyone with a spark of personal genius, anyone who is trying to be themselves amidst constraint, basically anyone striving for their personal freedom." She says her creative instincts are triggered by things that capture her attention and then prompt her to celebrate them in her own style. "Spending my time being able to create is a very human need for me. Making my work just makes me feel for aware of how good it feels to be connected to your senses and your life." After studying at Bournville College of Art and the Wolverhampton University on the early 1990's, Hussein moved on to Illinois State University in America where she completed a Fine Art Master in Glass Sculpture. Since then, she's won some impressive commissions, the most noteable of which have been garden sculptures. Award-winning designer Fran Forster commissioned her to make an art-deco style glass window for her perfumed garden at Hampton Court Palace Flower show. If you visit Kensington Roof Gardens, you can also see a spectacular butterfly detail screen in amongst the greenery on the sixth floor. Until the end of October, Hussein is exhibiting her work at a gallery space within the headquarters of a well known multi-national corporation in central London. Outside visitors and potential buyers who want to see her work are welcome, but the exhibition has been organised for the benefits of company employees. Viewings have to be arranged through Hussein herself. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME Having spent the last year investing everything into her exhibition, Hussein is now available for commissions. Every piece is a labour of love, and she has put her whole like on the line to work on these sculptures. Sleeping on friends floors and lugging suitcases around London, she is not exaggerating when she says; "I have put everything I have financially, physically and emotionally into this show, and it's been a major family and friends affair." Hussein's energy and charisma are so infectious, you see why those around her want to support her development. She even received assistance and advice from a friendly local welding shop and living off the kindness of friends and family. I have lived on a good friends farm in Devon for a year, set up studio in their old tack room, even used their concrete mixer. I had no car, and was reliant on the kindness of friends to collect material and put up my website. Despite creating such diverse work, Hussein uses few little equipment and her studio is modest. She is astonishingly resourceful. She says; "the few tools I have I am incredibly protective towards." To find the patience to work on the curves of her copper feathers or the delicate patterns on her concrete panels, she admits; "Sometimes it's so frustrating, and the profanities that explode from my mouth are realy not very ladylike. I've discovered that a good swear word or three is effective and so is smashing my hammer on my big metal table as many times as it takes my anger to subside!" For someone with such a proud and commanding presence she's remarkably modest in trying to enhance her profile. "In my search I have been told I am not sculptural enough, not functional enough, I did not fir their soft-centered contemporary image. Galleries have a vein, an image that they want and need to reinforce for consistency. After all, it's about the money." Hussein takes a great deal of pleasure in her approach to art, constantly seeking to satisfy her curious appetite; "I don't control every step; it's truly an adventure, an honest learning curve"