Kagen Dunn is a glass artist and interdisciplinary creator based in Madison, Wisconsin, whose work explores the preservation of everyday ephemera and the traces left by human interaction. She earned her BFA from the University of Texas at Arlington and her MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dunn’s practice blends various mediums, particularly glass, to investigate themes of memory, identity, and the ephemeral nature of human experiences. Her work focuses on how objects and artifacts serve as conduits for cultural expression, storytelling, and human creativity, inviting empathy for the abandoned elements of daily life.
She currently teaches both the beginning and advanced glassworking curricula at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is dedicated to fostering technical skill, conceptual development, and material exploration in emerging artists. Her recent exhibitions include Art by the Foot at the Center for Visual Arts (Wausau, WI), the 2023 TMA Contemporary at the Trout Museum (Appleton, WI), and Telling Tales at the Wharton Esherick Museum (Malvern, PA). Dunn is also deeply involved in glass programming and education at UW-Madison, working alongside Helen Lee to curate exhibitions and coordinate outreach workshops through Glass Madison.