© The Story of the Sphenoid Bone; Miya Hannan; ceramics, epoxy, bone ash, ash on paper; 12' x 32' x 22' (the size varies); 2017-18

January 21, 2026
Amie Potsic interviews 2024 Kite Prize Finalist and installlation artist Miya Hannan about her artistic practice informed by Japanese-American history.

“I view the world as one comprised of layers and linkages of history—a chain of lives and events that leads from one to the next. Landscape holds the record of these histories. Using images of nature and physical objects as narrative triggers, my artwork tries to preserve sorties of people and their histories that are almost forgotten or, otherwise, can be lost. In Japan, where I grew up, 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.

My recent works focus on forgotten Asian histories in the United States. Histories of oppressed people often fade away, yet they are important parts of what built the country. My action to trace materials of hidden histories is my way of making these histories feel real and alive. The stories of the dead and their histories exist around us, creating layers of rich histories that enhance our lives. My work depicts my view of death as another form of being alive.”

- Miya Hannan

Miya Hannan’s sculptures, installations, and drawings show her view of the world that is constructed by the layers and linkages of human lives and histories. Her practice is influenced by Asian death philosophy and rituals, as well as by her scientific education. Hannan’s work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions both in the United States and abroad. Her artist’s book, a collaboration project with Brighton Press in San Diego in 2017, is now in the collections of many institutions including the Getty Research Institute and Stanford University. She received Nevada Art Council Jackpot Grant and Sierra Arts Foundation Artist Grant in 2018. She was awarded the Willapa Bay AiR Residency, Oysterville, WA in 2018 and attended the Red Gate Residency in Beijing, China in 2017. In 2012, she was commissioned by TEDxSan Diego to create an installation for their meeting. She also received the 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award from Mesa College, San Diego. Her work has been featured in publications such as Artists Statement #1 by CICA Museum in Korea and ArtMaze Mag in New York and the United Kingdom.

Hannan was awarded an M.F.A. Fellowship from San Francisco Art Institute where she received her M.F.A. in 2007. Before coming to the United States, she received a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the school of health sciences, Kyushu University and worked for a hospital for seven years in her native country, Japan. She is an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

© *Montana Research;* Miya Hannan; Soil from historical locations in MT, found railroad spikes, wood, laser engraving (words from a diary of a worker), pens and photographs on map, 40"x48"x12", 2035

© *Deep Echo;* Miya Hannan; candle soot on paper, size varies (each panel 80" x 30"), 2023-2035

To learn more about Miya Hannan, visit: https://www.miyahannan.com/

Banner Image: © Trapped Histories; Miya Hannan; bone ash, epoxy resin, concrete, phone books, tree branches; 20' x 20' x 15'; 2013