Artist Profile: Hannah Lange

The delicate and self-taught practice of Wiradjuri artist Hannah Lange honours the agency of Country and the deep connections between people and the land. Maya Hodge writes.

Intricate details, varying shades of earthy colours and textures, and repeated movement and rippling lines encompass the works of Wiradjuri artist Hannah Lange. She is a self-taught artist whose practice centres on Country, exploring not only her relationship with the land but also the broader connection people have with it. Born and raised on Dharug/Darug and Gundungurra country in the Blue Mountains, Hannah’s early years have greatly influenced her practice. She pays close attention to the patterns, colours, and repetitions found within the landscapes she has deep connections to. At the heart of her work is a profound honouring of Country, culture, and her ancestors, nourished by her childhood.

Growing up in the Blue Mountains, Hannah was surrounded by the vibrancy and diverse landscape which became an integral part of her inspiration. Her finely painted works reflect a deep sense of reverence for what often goes unseen — the finest details of the beauty and strength of the forests, cliff faces, bushland, waterways, and coastlines of where she calls home. Now residing on Bundjalung Country, Hannah’s paintings were exhibited this May in her solo exhibition Ngumbaaydyil, All Are One at Saint Cloche Gallery. 

This exhibition focused on the layered and repetitive natural patterning found within the landscapes, drawing viewers into the slow and gentle ways of connecting to and with the land.

Hannah’s brush strokes upon the canvas celebrate the agency of Country as well as highlighting our positions within the tapestry of place-making. She states, “I wanted these works to be an ode to connection. To draw attention to the repetition and synchronicities in nature.” She adds, “The repetitiveness of patterns that can go unnoticed. How some ripple marks in sand on the beach bear similar resemblance to patterns found on an ironbark tree. You will see similar motifs between the works to draw that interconnectedness.” Her representation of these patterns speaks to our common connection and the way we relate to caring for Country, resonating deeply with all viewers.

Last year, Hannah was a finalist for the National Capital Art Prize and the Calleen Art Award, and this year she is a finalist for the Wollumbin Art Award. She has exhibited and consigned artworks widely, including at Hake House of Art and Kate Owen Gallery in Sydney and Coe Gallery, the UK’s first Aboriginal-owned gallery. 

Through these exhibitions, she shares her practice as a means to tell stories highlighting the importance of slowing down and taking time to understand the lifeblood flowing around us. Most recently, her series Pieces of calm, pieces of Country is now exhibiting at Leighton Contemporary, exploring the complexities of land and the calm within surrounding oneself in the solitude of the landscape. These exhibitions showcase her keen eye and dialogue about the significance of land and culture.

Hannah speaks to her practice, saying, “Country reminds me how small and insignificant we really are! It’s important to have that constant reminder.” She continues, “Also, the beauty and resources that she provides us, if you just take the time to look closer and learn. Country has its own stories and much greater wisdom than we could ever imagine. I hope to shed some light on that. Country has also taught me a deeper connection to my Ancestors.”

Her career is steadily on the rise, rooted in culture and connection. Hannah’s practice never fails to centre what is most important: First Peoples storytelling. As Saint Cloche emphasises about Hannah’s practice, “Through her work, she invites viewers to appreciate the subtle details of the environment and the enduring ties to her culture, ancestors, and Country.” Hannah’s artworks are invitations to champion relationships with the land and the knowledge it holds, showcasing the ways that Aboriginal peoples continue to represent and embody these stories through art-making and sharing.

Hannah Lange’s work serves as a reminder of the deep relationship we all share with the land and the importance of honouring and preserving these threads. Through her transfixing paintings, she invites us all to see the world through her perspective and to spend time in the wisdom and strength that the land shares with us every day—if we can slow down long enough to see it.

Pieces of calm, pieces of Country is now available at Leighton Contemporary.

Above: Artist Hannah Lange. Photos: Michelle Eabry. Courtesy: the artist and Saint Cloche, Sydney.