Hannah Wooll explores the domestic space, interior life and the value associated with related objects and artworks. Her most recent practice relies on junk-shop sourced found media; starkly-lit, contrived photographs lifted from the pages of outmoded craft manuals set against incongruous ink painted figures. She plays with scale, splicing and assembling, both referencing and deconstructing the original image. The effect is an off-kilter technicolour film-set, maximizing the potential of contrived images freed from their intended context.
Hannah’s women appear awkward yet untroubled by their unnatural surroundings, acknowledging the style and era of the books with which she works, as well as the individual women that have pored over these home craft books filled with arguably outdated feminine pursuits and domestic recreation. The dreamlike and static qualities of the work are due to Hannah taking advantage of the duplicity of unnatural lighting, allowing a two-dimensional feel, lending a lack of naturalism. We swiftly become caught up in these quietly absurd moments, the image paused; melodramatic fragments of still and uneasy tension.
Hannah’s women appear awkward yet untroubled by their unnatural surroundings, acknowledging the style and era of the books with which she works, as well as the individual women that have pored over these home craft books filled with arguably outdated feminine pursuits and domestic recreation. The dreamlike and static qualities of the work are due to Hannah taking advantage of the duplicity of unnatural lighting, allowing a two-dimensional feel, lending a lack of naturalism. We swiftly become caught up in these quietly absurd moments, the image paused; melodramatic fragments of still and uneasy tension.
Hannah Wooll CV
EDUCATION
2000-2003: Royal Academy Schools, London, Postgraduate Diploma, Fine Art Painting
1997-2000: Manchester Metropolitan University, 1st Class BA (hons) degree, Fine Art Painting
1995-1996: Norwich School of Art and Design, Btec Foundation Diploma
AWARDS
2013: Creekside Open Finalist
2010: The Jerwood Drawing Prize Finalist
2009: The Jerwood Drawing Prize Finalist
2003: The Gordon Luton Award for Fine Art, Runner-up
2003: May Cristea Award for Fine Art
2002: Red Mansion Art Prize, Shortlisted
EXHIBITIONS
2015: The Functionality Of Thought, Dean Clough, Halifax
2014: Exchange Rates presents: Platform – PAPER, Norte Maar Presents @ Schema Projects, Brooklyn, New York
2014: The Manchester Contemporary, Manchester
2014: Buy Art, Comme Ca Gallery, Manchester
2014: The Functionality Of Thought, Paper, Manchester
2014: The Functionality Of Thought, Paper Gallery, The Project Space Collective at AAF, London
2014: Supermarket, Paper Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2013: End Of The Line, Paper Gallery, Manchester
2013: Select, Marburae Gallery, Macclesfield
2013: Portfolio NW, The Bluecoat, Liverpool
2013: Stealing Fire, Art Allotment, Macclesfield
2013: Creekside Open 2013, London, 2013
2013: Selected Works, Comme Ca, Harvey Nicholls, Manchester
2012: Open Studio Show, Mirabel, Manchester
2012: Polemically Small, Orleans House Gallery, London
2012: 60 Drawings Exhibition, Bankley Gallery, Manchester
2011: End of Year Group Show with Comme Ca Art, Lowry Hotel, Salford, Manchester
2011: Polemically Small, Charlie Smith, London
2011: The F Word: Fragments of Feminism, Dean Clough, Halifax
2011: Buy Art Fair, with Comme Ca, Manchester
2011: Polemically Small, Torrance Art Museum, California, USA
2010: Beyond Fontanna, Studio 1.1, London
2010: Natural Habitat, Solo Show, The 12 Gallery, London
2010: Jerwood Drawing Prize 2010, Jerwood Space, London (touring)
2009: Valley Of The Dolls (with Andrew George Magee), Comme Ca, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2009: Jerwood Drawing Prize 2009, Jerwood Space, London (touring)
2008: Contemporary Painting, Comme Ca, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2008: Dystopia For All, The Wharf Road Project, Carter Presents, London
2008: Buy Art, Comme Ca, Urbis, Manchester
2008: Art Map, Comme Ca, Manchester
2008: A Shot In The Arm, Carter Presents, London
2008: Eastern Open, King's Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk
2007: Durty Turkey Gone Tomorrow Gallery, London
2007: Year 07 with Carter and Gallagher, Southbank, London
2007: The Future Can Wait Atlantis Gallery, Truman Brewery, London
2007: Contemplating Life and Stuff, solo show with Comme Ca Gallery, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2007: Fastest with the Mostest Carter and Gallagher, London
2007: I'll Be Your Mirror Primo Alonso Gallery, London
2007: L.A. Art Show, Wooster Projects, Los Angeles
2006: I'll Be Your Mirror Liverpool Biennial Independents, Liverpool
2006: Jerusalem Dean Clough Gallery, Halifax
2006: L.A. Art Show, Wooster Projects, Los Angeles
2005: Contemporary Artist's Play Pictionary, Agency Contemporary, London
2005: New London Kicks Wooster Projects, New York
2005: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kids- T.V. Made Us Do It Margaret Harvey Gallery, University of Hertfordshire, St Albans
2005: Hand In Hand We Walk Alone Clapham Gallery, London
2005: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kid's - T.V. Made Us Do It, Collins Gallery, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
2005: New London Kicks Soho House, New York
2005: Radical Art Jerwood Space, London
2004: Le Petit Paysage Comme Ca, Manchester
2004: Group Show Comme Ca Debenhams Window, Manchester
2004: Le Petit Paysage Liverpool Biennial Independents, Gostin Building, Liverpool
2004: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kid's - T.V. Made Us Do It, Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, Warrington
2004: Beginnings Jelly Leg'd Chicken Arts Gallery, Reading
2003: Royal Academy Group Show Harewood House, Leeds
2003: The Royal Academy Schools Show Piccadilly, London
2002: Red Mansion Spero Prize London Institute Gallery, Millbank
2002: Premiums Royal Academy, London
2002: 14 X 14 Mafuji Gallery, London
2001: Fresh Art Fair Business Design Centre, Islington, London
2000: Affordable Art Fair Battersea Park, London
2000: Degree Show Holden Gallery, Manchester
1999: Seventy Two Hours of Painting Bankley Gallery, Manchester
EDUCATION
2000-2003: Royal Academy Schools, London, Postgraduate Diploma, Fine Art Painting
1997-2000: Manchester Metropolitan University, 1st Class BA (hons) degree, Fine Art Painting
1995-1996: Norwich School of Art and Design, Btec Foundation Diploma
AWARDS
2013: Creekside Open Finalist
2010: The Jerwood Drawing Prize Finalist
2009: The Jerwood Drawing Prize Finalist
2003: The Gordon Luton Award for Fine Art, Runner-up
2003: May Cristea Award for Fine Art
2002: Red Mansion Art Prize, Shortlisted
EXHIBITIONS
2015: The Functionality Of Thought, Dean Clough, Halifax
2014: Exchange Rates presents: Platform – PAPER, Norte Maar Presents @ Schema Projects, Brooklyn, New York
2014: The Manchester Contemporary, Manchester
2014: Buy Art, Comme Ca Gallery, Manchester
2014: The Functionality Of Thought, Paper, Manchester
2014: The Functionality Of Thought, Paper Gallery, The Project Space Collective at AAF, London
2014: Supermarket, Paper Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2013: End Of The Line, Paper Gallery, Manchester
2013: Select, Marburae Gallery, Macclesfield
2013: Portfolio NW, The Bluecoat, Liverpool
2013: Stealing Fire, Art Allotment, Macclesfield
2013: Creekside Open 2013, London, 2013
2013: Selected Works, Comme Ca, Harvey Nicholls, Manchester
2012: Open Studio Show, Mirabel, Manchester
2012: Polemically Small, Orleans House Gallery, London
2012: 60 Drawings Exhibition, Bankley Gallery, Manchester
2011: End of Year Group Show with Comme Ca Art, Lowry Hotel, Salford, Manchester
2011: Polemically Small, Charlie Smith, London
2011: The F Word: Fragments of Feminism, Dean Clough, Halifax
2011: Buy Art Fair, with Comme Ca, Manchester
2011: Polemically Small, Torrance Art Museum, California, USA
2010: Beyond Fontanna, Studio 1.1, London
2010: Natural Habitat, Solo Show, The 12 Gallery, London
2010: Jerwood Drawing Prize 2010, Jerwood Space, London (touring)
2009: Valley Of The Dolls (with Andrew George Magee), Comme Ca, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2009: Jerwood Drawing Prize 2009, Jerwood Space, London (touring)
2008: Contemporary Painting, Comme Ca, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2008: Dystopia For All, The Wharf Road Project, Carter Presents, London
2008: Buy Art, Comme Ca, Urbis, Manchester
2008: Art Map, Comme Ca, Manchester
2008: A Shot In The Arm, Carter Presents, London
2008: Eastern Open, King's Lynn Arts Centre, Norfolk
2007: Durty Turkey Gone Tomorrow Gallery, London
2007: Year 07 with Carter and Gallagher, Southbank, London
2007: The Future Can Wait Atlantis Gallery, Truman Brewery, London
2007: Contemplating Life and Stuff, solo show with Comme Ca Gallery, Lowry Hotel, Manchester
2007: Fastest with the Mostest Carter and Gallagher, London
2007: I'll Be Your Mirror Primo Alonso Gallery, London
2007: L.A. Art Show, Wooster Projects, Los Angeles
2006: I'll Be Your Mirror Liverpool Biennial Independents, Liverpool
2006: Jerusalem Dean Clough Gallery, Halifax
2006: L.A. Art Show, Wooster Projects, Los Angeles
2005: Contemporary Artist's Play Pictionary, Agency Contemporary, London
2005: New London Kicks Wooster Projects, New York
2005: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kids- T.V. Made Us Do It Margaret Harvey Gallery, University of Hertfordshire, St Albans
2005: Hand In Hand We Walk Alone Clapham Gallery, London
2005: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kid's - T.V. Made Us Do It, Collins Gallery, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
2005: New London Kicks Soho House, New York
2005: Radical Art Jerwood Space, London
2004: Le Petit Paysage Comme Ca, Manchester
2004: Group Show Comme Ca Debenhams Window, Manchester
2004: Le Petit Paysage Liverpool Biennial Independents, Gostin Building, Liverpool
2004: We Didn't Mean To Be Bad Kid's - T.V. Made Us Do It, Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, Warrington
2004: Beginnings Jelly Leg'd Chicken Arts Gallery, Reading
2003: Royal Academy Group Show Harewood House, Leeds
2003: The Royal Academy Schools Show Piccadilly, London
2002: Red Mansion Spero Prize London Institute Gallery, Millbank
2002: Premiums Royal Academy, London
2002: 14 X 14 Mafuji Gallery, London
2001: Fresh Art Fair Business Design Centre, Islington, London
2000: Affordable Art Fair Battersea Park, London
2000: Degree Show Holden Gallery, Manchester
1999: Seventy Two Hours of Painting Bankley Gallery, Manchester