Hana Almilli is one of ArtConnect’s Artists to Watch '22

Hana Almilli's research based practice explores the idea of recreating lost identities through the material culture of textiles and relative assemblages. Belonging to Turkish, Syrian, Kurdish, and Saudi lineage, she was persuaded with questions of identity. Enquiring into perpetual alienation, her ideology developed into discovering, analyzing, and representing the term Al Ghorba (a sense of estrangement in a foreign land). Can we be a foreigner in our own space? Is there a way to derive metaphorical and material manifestations of an identity crisis? Consequently, Hana's visual structure interrogates emotions of nostalgia through weaving, dyeing, embroidering, and photography.

ArtConnect asked the winning artists to share with us a glimpse into their creative life to get a sense of their personal inspiration and artistic process.

How did you get started as an artist?

I got my first camera when I was eight years old, ever since I have always been inspired to take pictures of peculiar abstract objects that surround me. I also loved learning how to knit and crochet from my grandma as I grew a little older. One thing led to another and I started studying at California college of the arts to pursue a serious career as an artist. Through the process of my education and discovering myself in a foreign land, I paved the way to the artist I am now.

How would you describe your artistic approach?

In short my artistic approach is based on three essential things: feeling, making, and healing. I always start by inspecting the way I feel, what it means to make something at the certain time and space, how nostalgic I am, how comfortable or uncomfortable, and untold stories. I read books, I interview family members, I have conversations, I get inspired. I then decide on materials, what they mean, how they make me feel, how I want the audience to interact with them specifically textiles and sometimes if I break the barrier I include other mediums to better express. I then start making, and making for me then leads on to a conclusion, a healing, weaving, embroidering, printing, dyeing are all different ways of rediscovering myself, a way of healing, a way of concluding a story.

And how about what inspires you?

Nostalgia, heritage, family, culture, alienation, estrangement, change, travel, growth, weakness, strength, stories, new cities, discovery. The list really goes on, I find inspiration in all moments of life, the small and the big, the sad and the happy. I grow from all moments, they shape me and they inspire me, they pave my path of wanting to know more and creating more.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an artist?

One of my biggest challenges I have faced as an artist is the pandemic, I feel it was a blessing in disguise nonetheless. I went through a momentary lapse in creating art, as I am inspired by moments I felt (as everyone did) the world stood still and moments were dull. Although I took a pause, I was able to come back stronger and heal through my art as I always do.

Describe a typical day in the studio/wherever you make your work.

A day in my studio is surrounded by music in the background, dyeing a new batch of yarns, drying them and weaving them into my weft to tell a new story. I notice the difference between how I feel everyday that passes through observing the woven piece from the days before (how hard I beat my weft into my warp), I weave endlessly sometimes hours at a time. I take a break and skim through pages of books that I inspire me or support my work at the time. I then end the day at my studio and look forward to the next day.

Is there a medium, a process, or a technique that you haven't used in your work yet but would like to try out?

Textiles are an endless medium, there is always something new to try. I would definitely say I would like to try to incorporate a three dimensional aspect to my work to make it sculptural and interactive. I would definitely love to also try to incorporate technology with textiles and see where that leads me.

What are you currently working on? Or an upcoming project you want to mention?

I am currently working on a few exciting projects which I hope to announce soon. I am also working on commissioned artworks, and slowly continuing my research through my family history which is inspiring me to create a new series of artworks.

How does it feel to be selected as an ArtConnect Artist to Watch?

I am thankful for this opportunity and would like to express my appreciation to ArtConnect not only for selecting me as part of their Artist to Watch but also for being a platform that creates opportunities for artists such as my self to connect, learn, and grow.

See more of Hana’s work

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