MIYA HANNAN
Installations, sculpture, drawings
2018–Present
The current body of work is inspired by the process of burning. Burning, which appears in many Japanese rituals including cremation, changes physical forms to the transient. The Law of Conservation of Mass states that mass may change forms but can neither be created nor destroyed. Similarly, the dead stay with the living in the form of memory, story, knowledge, and genetic code. Every dead person exists around us in some way, creating layers of rich histories that enhance our lives. My work depicts my view of death as another form of being alive.
Uncertain Certainty series
Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2020
Used Chair, 40" x 23", 2020
Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
Used Chair, 34" x 19", 2021
Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
Used Chair, 37" x 18", 2021
Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
Used Chair, 34" x 16", 2021
Used Chair, 33" x 17", 2021
Beneath the Feet series
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot, and wood; 35" x 23"; 2019
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot, and wood; 35" x 23"; 2019
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot, and wood; 35" x 23"; 2019
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot, and wood; 35" x 23"; 2019
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot, and wood; 35" x 23"; 2019
Watercolor on paper, phonebooks, soot; 25" x 16"; 2020
Release of Memories 1 - 15
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Paper, phonebooks, soot, wood; 21" x 9"; 2019
Layers to Grids 1 - 7
Phonebook, watercolor, pigment, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebooks, watercolor, pigment, marker, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebooks, ash, ceramics, fabric, pigment, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebooks, ceramics, pigment, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebook, watercolor, marker, pigment, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebooks, ceramics, animal bone, pigment, paper, wood; 10" x 10" each; 2018
Phonebook, watercolor, pigment, paper, wood; 9" x 9" each; 2018
Ladder Series
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, thread; 16' x 4' x 7'; 2019
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, thread; 16' x 4' x 7'; 2019
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, thread; 16' x 4' x 7'; 2019
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, jars; 4' x 4' x 4'; 2019
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, jars; 4' x 4' x 4'; 2019
Phonebooks, found cabinet doors, wood, jars; 4' x 4' x 4'; 2019
2016–2018
This body of work is inspired by cremation urns. In Japan, almost all people cremate their bodies, and urns are the destination of remains. When one's remains come from a crematorium, their relatives pick up the remains one by one with chopsticks and place them in an urn. This is an important ritual that provides relatives time to say goodbye. The shape of an urn reminds me of the body, and putting remains back into the shell of the body seems to me to be ritualistic, as well.
The Story of the Sphenoid Bone
Ceramics, epoxy, bone ash, ash on paper;
12' x 32' x 22' (the size varies depending on space); 2017-18
Photo by Frances Melhop
This installation consists of three parts. On the floor, there are cremation urns within the field of bone ash. On the surface of the urns, human bones are attached, looking like coming out from or going into the urns. From the ceiling, many sphenoid bones, one of the skull bones shaped like a butterfly, are hung looking like they are flying. All the wall space in the room are covered with drawings. The drawing contains many sphenoid bone shapes burnt out from paper.
Conversations 1 - 3
Ceramics, plastic, paper; 40" x 22" x 18"; 2017
Ceramics, plastic, paper; 40" x 22" x 18"; 2017
Ceramics, plastic, paper; 40" x 22" x 18"; 2017
Forms 1 - 4
Watercolor, spray paint, pins on paper; 32" x 41" each; 2017
Watercolor, spray paint, pins on paper; 32" x 41" each; 2017
Watercolor, spray paint, pins on paper; 32" x 41" each; 2017
Watercolor, spray paint, pins on paper; 32" x 41" each; 2017
Urn Series
Charcoal and watercolor on paper; 41" x 26"; 2017
Charcoal and watercolor on paper; 41" x 26"; 2017
Charcoal and watercolor on paper; 41" x 26"; 2017
Charcoal and watercolor on paper; 12" x 18" each; 2017