Hannah Mobley: Collections
Hannah Mobley: Collections
March 23 — May 6, 2024
Artist Reception & Talk: Saturday, April 6 @ 1:00pm
Artist Statement:
Objects are powerful— they hold history, memories, experiences, and culture. The objects in our homes are
particularly precious as they share in our most intimate spaces and speak to our individuality and human
experience. This body of work focuses on the theme of “collections ”, explored through imagery of collectibles
both old and new. I am interested in the emotional connections that lead us to treasuring these (oftentimes
subjectively) significant objects. An important conceptual point in my work is the idea of “parts of a whole”:
meaning that each individual object has unique significance which lends to its greater collection.
Throughout this body of work you’ll see cultural and historical references to collecting, namely the classic blueand-
white china plates and influences from the historical Cabinets of Curiosities. By becoming more self-aware
of our place in history, we can then see how our own collecting habits fit into the conversation. My installation
and mixed-media approach in this show speak to that idea of including a bit of history: using thrifted objects
such as jewelry boxes, china plates, trinket boxes, and tablecloths and re-presenting them as both an art object
and a collected object. The painted and screenprinted imagery reference modern collectibles that you may
recognize, and floral motifs and delicate patterns throughout my work enhance the antique vibe.
My art highlights and elevates these home objects in an inviting and positive way to remind us of the role they
play in our everyday lives and in our personal history. I want my viewers to be reminded of their own
interactions and memories, and to realize their own relationships to treasured objects.
Exhibition Statement:
This body of work, Collections, was created as the artist’s MFA thesis exhibition shown at Governors State
University in Nov-Dec 2023. Exploring themes of treasured objects in our homes, Collections focuses on the
significance of memory, attachment, and sentimentality of physical objects in our possession. Contrasting
imagery of older collectibles, such as blue-and-white china, with modern collectibles, such as pez dispensers
and snow globes, brings in not only a connection point for the viewer but also a cultural history of objects.
Imagery of cabinets, both repurposed and painted, allude to the display and safekeeping of our own
collectibles while acting as a collection in and of themselves in the exhibition. The viewer is encouraged to
realize their own relationships to treasured objects and recognize their personal history with sentimental items
and why they are so important to us.
Bio:
Hannah Mobley is an artist and educator with a BFA in Drawing & Painting from Olivet Nazarene University
(2020) and an MFA in Painting & Printmaking from Governors State University (2023). She’s currently working
as the Art School Director at Tall Grass Arts Association in Park Forest IL , and as an Adjunct Art Professor at
ONU.
Her artwork is mixed-media based with an emphasis on painting and printmaking on various surfaces. The
concept of her work relates to the emphasis of home objects in order to recognize their important role in our
daily lives. Inspired by the simple beauty of everyday routines, the sentimentality of collections, and even
purely utilitarian objects, Hannah’s art portrays a positive relationship and outlook on the presence of objects
in our homes.
She is currently living and making art in the Chicagoland area.
Instagram: @theartist_hannahmobley
Website: https://hannahmobleyart.wixsite.com/artbyhm
