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