Miya Hannan: SPIRIT
2021 Artist-in-Residence at Moon Randolph Homestead
Original Work by Miya Hannan
How was your experience as an Open AIR Artist-in-Residence?
The Open AIR Artist-in-Residence provided valuable experience for me to widen my prospective. People I met, the landscape, and stories that come with the landscape inspired me to push my project in a new direction. It was amazing that I could discover many stories that were hidden within the location/landscape by visiting there; otherwise, I would've never known. The program and people who support the program were very helpful for artists, and the community was well built. I would like to thank them for that opportunity.
What was your research process during this time?
For half of the time, I researched the histories of various places around Missoula and visited them to collect information and materials for my future projects. For the other half of the time, I made some artworks with the information I collected.
What are you up to now (post Open AIR)?
The residency made me think about how I can push my project. I am now in the middle of planning a new project that I was inspired to do during the residency.
Uncertain Certainty 9 & 8 - Used Chair, Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
How would you describe your work?
I would say my work is landscape though it is not in a traditional sense. My work portrays my view of the world as one comprised of layers and linkages of history, a chain of lives and events that leads from one to the next. I developed this view while growing up in Japan and working for a hospital and experiencing life and death as a medical professional. The dead stay with the living in the form of memory, story, knowledge, and genetic code, creating layers of rich histories that enhance our lives. I believe that landscape keeps the record of these histories and memories for us. In Japan, the souls of the dead live on, spirits exist within nature, and land retains its destiny—people inherit the histories of the land on which they live. I am interested in the relationship between humanity and the information trapped in nature.
The Story of the Sphenoid Bone Ceramics, epoxy, bone ash, ash on paper; 12' x 32' x 22'
What keeps you returning to this subject, body of work?
My work is driven by my belief in the importance of accepting death on a larger level. Our society values youth more than age and progress more than tradition, and thus, unfortunately, death is treated as taboo. However, in this diverse society, people's ideas about death and dying are different from one another, and understanding one's value around the topic is important for the person and people around the person. I have been trying to provide people a chance to think about the topic from various prospective.
Uncertain Certainty 7 & 6 - Used Chair, Soot on paper, 40" x 30", 2021
See more of Miya’s work at www.miyahannan.com