Kirsten Hassenfeld moved to New York in 1999 and has been living and working in Brooklyn ever since. She focused on making sculptural works from paper until 2012, when recycled materials and objects became her primary medium. Originally a printmaker, she most recently has turned her attention to large-scale woven wall works.

Cherry Smash, inspired by and named after the once-bottled cherry pop in Arlington, delves into the interplay between nature and artifice. The artwork uses the stylized cherry blossom, a beloved symbol of springtime in the Capitol, as its primary motif. Recognizable objects are transformed into sculptural elements, with bottle caps fused with melted plastic bags forming candy-colored flowers and stacks of discarded housewares creating a floral cascade. This sculpture questions how culture has reshaped nature, with sweet flavors for the tastebuds and garden hybrids for visual pleasure, while also highlighting the excesses of our pleasures that are piling up. By predominantly using upcycled materials, the artist suggests a way to help heal the natural world.