The binder uses her senses as gates, through which she throws her bonds. Her perception is bound by the softness of the flesh. Born out of the body. The weaving is bound by the relation between tense and loose materials, and in the binder’s body the same tense and loose connections appear: those between fear and devotion, anxiety and conviction.
The separation is sticky. She hangs on to an idea of scales, of distance between weaving and reality. The distance seems defined by closeness, like the weaving is binded by threads that cross and split, open and close.
Hanna Norrna works with weaving as an alchemical formula and ritual gesture - an intertwining of silent knowledge and spirituality, mythology and materiality. Her practice touches how craft, passion, vulnerability, body and sanctity are connected and claims its space.
At the core of Norrna’s weaving process is the silkworm. An originally wild species, domesticated for thousands of years for human needs and productions. In the summers, she breeds silkworms in her home and follow the caterpillars' growing transformation into butterflies. She processes their cocoons into thread and dye them with symbolic plants.
In her loom, the home-grown silk is placed into systems of bindings and meetings between metallic and animal materials. Layers and fields with various centers of gravity and density grow. In exhibitions, the woven material extends into spatial and site-specific installations.
photo: Anna Hulth
Hanna Norrna
Born 1993 in Skövde
Based in Gothenburg
hannanorrna@gmail.com
+46738030380
Upcoming
2024 Byssus - with Maja Lund Hvidtfeldt, Officinet, Copenhagen DK
Exhibitions (solo)
2022 Förbindelserna och skälen, Galleri KC, Gothenburg
2021 Speîra, Pannrummet - Konstepidemin, Gothenburg
2020 Bindarens skala, Omnikvariatet, Uppsala
2019 The secret unweaving of Pulse and Psyche, Doma / doma / DOMA / 土間, Gothenburg
2019 Untouchable, monumental and intimate - Textival Literature Festival, Rehabshop, Gothenburg
(duo & group)
2024 Morus, Silk Museum in Soufli (PIOP) GR
2023 Ecotone, Uppsala Konstnärsklubb, Uppsala
2023 Morus - with Irini Gonou and Kleopatra Tsali, Galleri Apoteket, Roma
2022 Sea silk - with Maja Lund Hvidtfeldt, North Atlantic Lighthouse, Hanstholm DK
2021 Sea Treasures, Gathenhielmska huset - Stranded Pearls - GIBCA Extended, Gothenburg
2021 Common ground, Konsthallen Lokstallet, Strömstad
2019 Craft Day, Konstepidemin, Gothenburg
2018 Rich Harvest, Spinnerei Gallery Tour, Leipzig GE
2018 6 Masters, Almgrens Sidenväveri och Museum, Stockholm
Education
2016-2018 MA Fine Arts in Crafts, Academy of Design and Crafts, Gothenburg
2013-2016 BA Fine Arts in Crafts - Textile Art, Academy of Design and Crafts, Gothenburg
2022 Introduction to Art and Health, HDK-Valand
2020 Skrivandets förhandlingar, Konstfack, Stockholm
2020 Skrivandet som konstnärligt verktyg, Academy of Design and Crafts, Gothenburg
2018 Western Esotericism, Södertörn University Stockholm
Commissions
2022 Weaving infant shrouds with Birgitta Nordström, Spädbarnsfonden
2020 Sketch commisson, Östra sjukhuset Göteborg, Västfastigheter
Participation
2022 Kollegium: Reading group, two-days symposium on the book Matriarchal Societies by Heide Goettner Abendroth, Gothenburg
2021 Lux, published by Aber Press, Malmö
2019 Assisting at Public Weaving Hour - Revisiting the (Weaving) Workshop, Röhsska Museum
2016 I sin linda, participating in Birgitta Nordström's research (ongoing)
Residencies
2022 Homemotion, Athens GR
2021 Kosteröarna, Klangbotten/Kultur i Väst SE
2020 Nordic Watercolor Museum, Skärhamn SE
2019 Textílsetur Íslands, Blönduós IS
2018 Leipzig International Art Program, Leipzig GE
2017 Takt Artist Residency, Berlin GE
2016 Guest Weaver at Kolding Design School DK
Teaching
2024 Guest teacher in Fiber Knowledge, HDK-Valand
2023 Substitute technician, Fiber Workshop, HDK-Valand
2020 Guest teacher in digital preparations for screen printing, HDK-Valand
2019 Guest teacher in digital weaving, HDK-Valand
2019 Workshops and evening courses in screen printing, Kulturhuset Blå Stället, Göteborg
Press
2021 MAI Feminism, Issue 8: Womens Craft (interview)
2021 Digital Weaving Norway: Makers Space Profile #3: Icelandic Textile Center (featured)
Selected grants
2023 Craft and design projects in Denmark and abroad, Danish Arts Foundation
2023 Project grant, Swedish Arts Grants Committee
2022 Craft and design projects in Denmark and abroad, Danish Arts Foundation
2022 1-year working grant, Swedish Arts Grants Committee
2020 1-year working grant, Swedish Arts Grants Committee
2018 Eric Ericssons stiftelse
Memberships
Konstnärernas Riksorganisation (KRO)
Bildupphovsrätt i Sverige
Konstnärernas Kollektivverkstad Göteborg