Step into the realm of Hannah Antalek’s imagination this spring, where flowers have special powers and evolve in a post-apocalyptic world. Her paintings remind us of the magical scenes in an Alice in Wonderland movie, but with a wild twist like wandering through a dystopic and fantastical dreamland.
I caught up with Hannah as she is back in New York from her Residency in London with Moosey and now working on her upcoming solo show. Her infectious positivity and excitement were palpable as she talked about her practice and projects.
Hey Hannah, it’s wonderful to reconnect! Your art often focuses on nature. Did you spend a lot of time surrounded by it while growing up?
I did! I grew up in upstate New York but surprisingly I was not a nature lover; instead, I was drawn to urban environments. What really fascinates me is the idea of a fantastic nature in the real world.
What’s your creative process like in bringing these surreal landscapes to life?
I start my paintings by building a small diorama model to guide the composition and lighting of the final piece. It ensures that the final paintings possess a genuine sense of realism.The act of translating something miniature into a human-scale gives a subtle but eerie strangeness to the final picture.
What are these models made of?
I craft these models from compostable or recyclable materials like paper mache, cardboard or repurpose non-recyclable refuse such as styrofoam and plastic film. Each diorama integrates elements from previous scenes, with the goal of sustaining a cohesive narrative and crafting an expansive and immersive alternative world. By incorporating elements of eco-consciousness into my creative journey, I can then combine this research with my own climate anxieties, daydreams, and visual vernacular to create a fantastical arcadia.
Tell us more about your vision of a fantastical arcadia, how do the colors you choose play a role in that?
Colored light plays an important role in creating the atmosphere of each of these works and offers context clues as to what physical sensations might be experienced in each of these environments.
For instance, can you give us an example of the meaning for some of the colors you use in your paintings?
Blue light suggests a very cold space and can have an isolating feeling – like being deep underwater or far outside the earth’s atmosphere. Red can feel bodily and aggressive, and orange can take on magma-like heat. I usually test out several different lighting options until I feel like the diorama has been activated in an interesting way – perhaps a piece I initially envisioned in a night vision green is actually more interesting and surprising in a sickly yellow.
What draws you to plants so much that they are the main characters in your paintings?
Plants have such an obvious yet separate analog to humans that has always interested me! They are eye-catching, individual, community-oriented, adaptable, sexual, and sunlight-loving. They are immovable, unemotional, quiet, and regenerative.
I never thought about them this way, there are definitely similarities. If you were a plant, which one would you be and why?
I’d say I’d be a phosphorescent moss. I’m drawn to the idea of plants coexisting with other plants and elements around them, plus their color is pretty cool!
Where do you get your inspiration from when you create these models?
I’m most inspired by reading scientific articles and books on climate change and environmental technology.
Do you have any favorite books that stuck with you?
My recent favorites have been Elizabeth Kolbert’s ‘Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future’ and Alan Weisman’s ‘The World Without Us’. I’ve also been exploring Daisyworld, a computer simulation from the 1980s that illustrates the Gaia hypothesis, and delving into the deep ecology movement.
And maybe some sci-fi books or movies as well?
That’s right! Science fiction is also a huge inspiration, Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation being a favorite. I’m fascinated by how it begins with a real scientific idea and transforms it into a complete theoretical story.
What do you aim to convey in your work?
My work is about self-consciousness, we often see ourselves as being outside of nature instead of a part of it, and continuously take it for granted. Soon, our planet will become uninhabitable for humans just as our planet has become uninhabitable for a variety of species throughout time as we have transitioned through glacial and greenhouse periods. The difference now is that humans are the cause of this change and we will be the reason for our own destruction. However, despite the devastation enacted upon our environment, nature will endure.
In my paintings, I envision a fantastical version of our world, one that is strange yet familiar, seductive and enticing but also evokes a sense of unease in a place where humans are decidedly absent. With these paintings, I’m questioning if there will ever be ultimate reciprocity amongst humans and nature, or if one will take the place of the other.
Do you have any exciting projects coming up soon?
I have a few exhibitions in Europe in the works and I am currently working on my upcoming solo exhibition at the gallery Tinimini Room in the Netherlands opening in June 1st, featuring 10 pieces.