Hannah is an artist, curator and d/Deaf activist, originally from Leicester, UK. Having previously worked within the exhibitions team at Nottingham Contemporary and the programme team at Wysing Arts Centre, Hannah now works as co-programme director at Grand Union, Birmingham, alongside access consultation work.
Concerned with how long-term research can inform and be informed by collective action, they are influenced by interdisciplinary social practices. Based on open dialogue and listening Hannah works with the materiality of curatorial practice, performance, film, writing and convening to collectively imagine a path towards the spaces we want to experience.
Rooted in a desire to unpack and reimagine the structural barriers to this possibility, Hannah's work explores the nuances of communication through sensory deprivation/sensory gain; extrapolating a practice at the intersection of access, equity, spatial investigation and embodied transformations.
Collaborating under the moniker of Dyad Creative with artist Théodora Lecrinier between 2014-2019, this was an artistic partnership exploring performance, administration, collaboration and failure. The duo developed performance-led work, interactive commissions, workshops, residencies and artist-led spaces supported by organisations including as, a-n, Norwich Arts Centre, East Street Arts, National Centre for Writing, Kettle’s Yard, Arts Council England.
Between 2020-2021, Hannah was selected for a curatorial residency at Wysing Arts Centre as part of Future Curators Network – a programme supporting the career development of D/deaf and Disabled Curators in partnership with DASH – and now serves as associate advisor to the programme.
Deeply committed to anti-ableist practices within the arts and the working rights of artists, a few artists Hannah has collaborated with over the years include; Abi Palmer, Ain Bailey, Babeworld, Bella Milroy, Beverley Bennet, Bridget O'Gorman, Jasleen Kaur and Khairani Barokka. Key organisations Hannah has worked with are Aural Diversity, Deafroots, EVA International Ireland, Eye film Amsterdam, National Gallery, London, the Victoria & Albert Museum. Hannah has guest lectured at Chelsea College of Art, London College of Communication and Norwich University of the Arts among others and regulalry writes for Art Monthly.
Hannah currently serves as chair for a-n Artists Information Company, trustee for Collective Text and sits on the advisory panel for Two Queens Gallery. Hannah is also a member of British Art Network Steering Committee.
Currently reading: ‘Health Communism’ by Artie Vierkant and Beatrice Adler-Bolton, which you can find by clicking this link here.
contact [at] hannahwallis [dot] com