by Rebecca Romani

August 2, 2025

One of San Diego’s newest galleries, the Union Hall Gallery in Golden Hill is a surprising hidden treasure and current host to a beautiful wide-ranging show, Hidden in Plain Site, that highlights some of the gallery’s best qualities such as a generous open space and high ceilings.

Located in the renovated top floor of the historic San Diego Carpenter’s Union Hall building (1948), the gallery boasts beautiful original maple floors and windows that allow vibrant light to pour in.

According to Gina Farkas, the gallery manager, the gallery is currently hosting one of its last commissioned shows for the moment, showcasing a retrospective of the works of local artist, Joseph Henseler, on view through August 10, 2025.

At first glance, the show seems ambitious, spread out as it is through the gallery, and the connections between the 30 works feels a bit tenuous. However, upon closer examination, the work not only flows in and out of itself, some sections even seem to harmonize effortlessly with the elements of the gallery such as the copper piping and black support beams.

This is thanks in no small part to Henseler’s wife, Lorena Isabel Henseler, whose keen eye for color and sense of form helps organize the diverse pieces into connecting segments.

At first, the idea of a retrospective for an artist whose work has had limited public presence seems odd since retrospectives are usually assumed to be an examination of an artist’s released body of work, but Henseler contextualizes the show by explaining that although he has been creating work for more than 30 years, his main focus was on raising a family and teaching at the New School of Architecture and the Art Academy of San Diego, in addition to designing and building residential projects which integrate art.

The pandemic flipped things a bit, said Henseler in a conversation with Vanguard Culture, and he decided to return to artmaking in his local studio and to begin exhibiting.

As a result, the show is also a subtle exploration of Henseler’s artistic development and discovery of techniques and materials over several highly creative decades.

Henseler was born in Spain but raised in Pennsylvania. He eventually studied at Ball State University, examining the nexus of design and lived experience. His undergraduate thesis project – a built structure in the woods- laid the groundwork for his use of natural materials in constructed settings. Henseler eventually moved to Julian, California, to work with the visionary artist James Hubbell, and Drew Hubbell’s architecture firm, studying glass work, sculpture, and mosaics. He later opened his own company, Duende, to build projects which integrate art.

One of the more interesting sections of the show is a collection of installations in the center of the first half of the designated space. As a section, it is hard to miss as it sits so solidly in the room and extends to spaces overhead.

A surprising element of the ensemble is a Stonehenge like set up of 11 slate grey panels supported by adapted frames from Ikea. If you look closely, you will see that the sober looking panels have poetry printed on them.

Much of the poetry, says Henseler, is from his days at Ball State University, where he experimented with wide-ranging art practices, such as working with granites, and wire, and balancing forms.

The Stonehenge piece is surrounded by a number of other pieces made over the past 10-20 years, some of which incorporate materials either from leftover architecture projects or simply acquired along the way. Many involve clay pieces Henseler has repurposed from his early years as a student. The figures have a raw, quickly molded look and are frequently set on or against small pieces of marble, twisting metal or a crystal prism from a chandelier.

A black tape design laid on the floor (“I spent all night laying this down!”), hints at time spent in Homer, Alaska, with what feels like lines and shapes inspired by Inuit work, leading outward towards the bulk of the show which is further back in the gallery space.                

This particular grouping of pieces is a good general introduction to Henseler’s techniques, interest in materials and bricolage, as well as his approach to the human form.

Henseler told Vanguard Culture he was particularly pleased with this collection of works, which he sees as a dialogue between his younger self (the clay work), and his current self.

Henseler has also said that he is very interested in how lines, like a musical theme, resolve themselves. As evidenced in the pieces, many of his curved elements do not stop abruptly, but carry their energy forward to some sort of resting point such as a downward curve or a clear cessation of movement.

Many of Henseler’s ideas seen in this initial section circle back in the surrounding watercolors, sketches, and fine art photography. The watercolors are particularly beautiful for their luminosity and the photography is both spare and neo-noir in its texture and play of shadows.

Among Henseler’s material interests are copper and paper – copper for its beauty says Henseler, and paper for its pliability and availability. A stunning copper mobile hangs at the entrance to the show, embracing one of Henseler’s favorite shapes, the triangle. Suspended from a found branch, the pierced copper triangles hang like an arts and crafts era mobile with small lights woven into the pieces to set off the pierced patterns and the luster of the metal.

One of Henseler’s most interesting pieces, is a more recent experiment with paper and clay. Liberation Architecture, 2022, sits in its own acrylic case, almost like an altar in an alcove at the entrance to the show. The central construction of pleated paper and sticks forced into curved forms, rises out of a scored well in a mat board- all painted ghostly white, like a dialogue between the base and the pleated paper.

Another work – not to be missed – Genius Loci, 2025, clearly shows the influence of Henseler’s time spent with the local artist and builder, James Hubble. The window, which could also serve as a door, came to him in a dream, Henseler says.

The piece hangs discretely between gallery panels, striking in its simplicity, yet deeply informed by nature with its central plantlike motif. In Genius Loci, Henseler has stretched his glass work to include copper foil and glass jewels, as well as handblown glass and lead came. The window is hung in such a way as to benefit from the light streaming in from the windows across from it.

The show continues until August 10 with a closing reception, Aug. 9 with an artist gallery talk, after which the gallery will be open to the public.

The Union Hall Gallery is open to the public Friday-Sunday.  The second-floor gallery is easily accessible by stairs with available accommodations for those who need greater accessibility.  Street parking is usually available. Please see gallery staff for additional information on prices and availability of the work.