In Staged Meaning / Meaning Staged, Hannah explores the fragile constructs of stability, belonging, and faith, unraveling the illusions we build around meaning and permanence. The composition presents an eerie, disjointed world where houses and churches (symbols of home, sanctuary, and belief) float precariously above a shifting, illusory landscape. At first glance, these structures appear familiar, evoking ideas of security and rootedness, yet they hover in a space devoid of foundation, their placement defying logic and stability.

The use of optical illusion patterns beneath these structures introduces an underlying sense of distortion and deception. What at first seems to be a solid ground is, upon closer inspection, an unreliable and wavering surface, making clear that the foundation upon which these homes and places of worship rest is anything but stable. Through this visual language, Hannah challenges the viewer to question what truly grounds us… whether it be faith, tradition, or the physical spaces we inhabit, and whether those anchors are as secure as they seem.

This work, created in the wake of her father’s passing, takes on an even deeper resonance as Hannah grapples with the destabilizing force of grief. The absence of her tentacle motif (typically representing her presence, agency, and ability to guide or intervene) suggests a profound moment of disconnection, as if she, too, is unmoored within this landscape, unable to reclaim control over the shifting terrain of loss and meaning. In mourning, previously held beliefs about home, faith, and security can become suddenly fragile, leaving one questioning whether the structures that once provided comfort were ever truly as stable as they appeared.

Staged Meaning / Meaning Staged compels the viewer to examine the precarious nature of meaning itself, challenging assumptions of permanence and prompting reflection on the ways in which personal and collective narratives are carefully constructed, performed, and, at times, completely dismantled.