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Makeup by Grantley McIntyre.

"Though the Goddess is one, and there can be nothing apart from her, according to the capability and desire of the worshipper she is conceived of in innumerable form." So begins a description of the Hindu goddess Kali -- the namesake of the aspiring sculptor/hat designer Kali Vermes. And in many ways the same can be said of the mortal Kali; her sculptural hats take on an entirely different aspect with the slightest turn of the head, or with a mere change of placement on the head. Almost like organic beings, the hats seem to move even though they are stationary, to morph even though they are inert.

Made of hydrated hand-made fibrous paper draped on a bamboo armature, the hats are placed in the sun to dry. It is then that the magic really occurs. Ms. Vermes explains that she doesn’t ever exactly know how the shape will emerge during this part of the process -- the hats will curl and twist in unpredictable ways.

After the hats dry in the sun, they have hardened into their permanent shape. Although they are made of paper, the hats have become quite sturdy and strong. The quality of never-ending motion is fully evident. Ms. Vermes attributes her penchant for revealing movement in sculpture in part to her intense dance training. She has studied African dance, southern Indian dancing, modern dance, ballet and improvisation. She is particularly inspired by Isadora Duncan’s movements and well as Pina Bauch’s more theatrical dance performances.