Hana Tan

Hana Tan, born in 1995 in Beaufort, Sabah, is a burgeoning visual artist who divides her time between her hometown and Klang, Selangor. She recently completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Art from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Hana Tan's talent and dedication have garnered recognition, including being shortlisted for prestigious awards like the UoB Painting of the Year in 2021. Her participation in international exchange programs and exhibitions demonstrates her growing influence and contribution to the contemporary art scene locally and abroad.

Hana Tan's Art Style

Hana's artistic journey began with a keen interest in material transference, where she uses surfaces as receptor sites to initiate her creative exploration.

Her artistic style revolves around expanding the boundaries of abstraction through various hand-based techniques such as drawing, printing, and painting. She also delves into technological imaging methods like ultrasound, which transforms physical objects into images. Intrigued by how images, reduced to mere traces, influence our perception, she explores the interplay between visibility and invisibility, examining the intricate relationships between nature, humanity, science, and technology.

In the recent series showcased at "Two Tales," a collaborative exhibition with emerging artist Ong Pei Yee at Rissim Contemporary, Tan explores the convergence of cultural hybridity and personal identity. Drawing from her experience as a former tribe dancer, Tan's paintings juxtapose traditional movement with contemporary domestic settings. Inspired by her journey from Sabah to peninsular Malaysia, Hana Tan challenges conventional perceptions of female identity by portraying her subjects engaging in mundane tasks such as washing dishes or vacuuming. Through her artwork, Tan encourages viewers to reconsider their connections to tribal and traditional heritage in the face of modern Western influences.