Halima Cassell uses clay, stone, wood, bronze and other materials to create works informed by architecture, mathematics and nature.
Born in Kashmir in 1975 and raised in the North West of England, Cassell takes inspiration from multicultural traditions of architectural carving and moulding in buildings such as cathedrals, churches and mosques. Her abstract shapes are equally informed by North African surface design and the geometric optical illusions of artists Bridget Riley and M.C. Escher. She also draws on mathematical systems of proportion such as the golden section.
Cassell works in a studio overlooking the Shropshire Hills. The natural world infuses her sculptures, from the shapes of pebbles and rock formations to the flow and ripple of water. Other works relate to the human body, suggesting fertility, birth and regeneration. Avoiding added colour, she picks a specific material for each work based on its natural hue and texture. Like St Ives artist Barbara Hepworth – a key influence for Cassell – she responds to the potential and limitations of each medium.
