HANA WARD

Artist Hana Ward in her studio in front of a painting in progress
Artist portrait by Joonbug Mcintosh

Hana Ward (b. 1989, Los Angeles, CA) makes paintings and ceramic works that explore themes of identity, introspection, and transformation. Appearing both ethereal and visceral, Ward weave together moods, motives and narratives to depict Black and Brown feminine figures who reflect and dream, creating their sovereign worlds from the inside out. These multitudinous visions of unfolding self-actualizations are sometimes sheltered in the solitude of domestic space and other times liberated into landscapes. Influenced by anticolonial histories, spiritual texts, and cycles of the natural world, as well as the canon of art history, Ward’s work excavates the inner dimension to discover a world where one’s sovereignty is in the here and now.

Ward received a BA from Brown University in 2011 and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. Ward’s work has recently been exhibited at venues including OCHI, Los Angeles, CA; Mrs. Gallery, Maspeth, Queens; Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA; Harun Gallery, Leimert Park, CA; Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA; and Giant Robot, Oakland, CA. In 2017 Ward was awarded a Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-Residence Grant. Ward’s work has been featured in publications including Artforum, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, Amadeus, Artillery Magazine, and AUTRE, and was featured in the Voices on Art Podcast in conjunction with Independent Art Fair.

Featured Works

an image of a lamp made from three figures planted in the dirtA painting of a woman leaning over a table in the corner of a room. There is an abstracted orange landscape in the window, and a flower in the orange light on the table.A painting of a woman standing in a grassy field looking over their shoulder with their back to the viewer. There is a horse looking at the viewer in the field and an orange mountain in the background.A painting of a woman looking out of a large window into an abstract landscape. On the wall behind her appears a poster that reads "Elect Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer for [Mississippi] State Senator,” dated 1971.A painting of a figure in an orange coat sitting in a wooden chair in a large field.A painting of a figure sitting on a blue chair holding a small bunch of flowers in front of a sunset landscapea figure in a green blouse indirectly looking at viewers holding a wilted pink flower.

Ochi Exhibitions

Institutional Exhibitions

CV

HANA WARD

Born 1989 in Los Angeles, CA

Lives and works in Los Angeles, CA

EDUCATION

2011

Bachelor of Arts, Education, Brown University

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025

Special Project, University of Maryland Art Gallery, College Park, MD (forthcoming)

2024

Cowpea Consciousness, Atlanta Art Week, presented by OCHI, Atlanta, GA

2023

When the Moon Stopped Keeping Time, Roche Projects, Kyoto, Japan
How To Build Up Worn Out Soils, OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
While We Wait, The Breeder, Athens, Greece
Solo Show, Frieze Los Angeles, presented by OCHI, Los Angeles, CA

2021

a night between two days, Mrs., Maspeth, Queens
Solo Show, Independent Art Fair, presented by Mrs., New York, NY
an exit from this room and others like it, OCHI, Los Angeles, CA

2020

what was there all along, OCHI, Los Angeles, CA

2019

sing about me, Harun Gallery, Leimert Park, CA

2018

Exhibition 1: Hana Ward, Harun Gallery, Leimert Park, CA

2016

born in de winter, Mike Kelley Gallery, Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024

World Without End: The George Washington Carver Project, Getty PST Art + Science 2024, California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA (forthcoming)
Body of Work, Mrs. Maspeth, NY
Against Monoculture, Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Spring Flowers, OCHI, Sun Valley, ID

2023

In New York, Thinking of You Part II, The FLAG Art Foundation, New York, NY
Group Exhibition, Pt. 2 Gallery, Oakland, CA

2022

Wish You Were Here, OCHI, Sun Valley, ID
, The Armory Show, presented by The Breeder, New York, NY

2021

Expanded Field, OCHI Aux, Los Angeles, CA
PARABLE 003, curated by Alex Jones + Kevin Bernard Moultrie Daye, Los Angeles
Group Show, Contemporary Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA
For the Love of LA, urated by Eva Recinos, The Music Center, Los Angeles, CA (online)

2020

Heads or Tails, OCHI, Los Angeles, CA (online)
Mutual Friends, Classic Cars West, Oakland, CA

2019

Post-it Show, Giant Robot, Los Angeles, CA

2018

Post-it Show, Giant Robot, Los Angeles, CA

2017

Animating the Archives: The Woman’s Building, Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, CA

2011

Art of the Book, John Hay Library, Providence, RI

2010

B.O.M.B.S. Group show, Faunce House, Providence, RI

AWARDS & RESIDENCIES

2024

Artist in Residence, University of Maryland Art Gallery, College Park, MD (forthcoming)

Finalist, Hopper Prize, New York, NY

2023

Artist in Residence, Hayama Artist Residency, Hayama, Japan

2017

Artist-in-Residence Grant, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, CA

Fellowship, Special Project in Archiving, Animating the Archives: The Woman’s Building, Metabolic Studio, Los Angeles, CA

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

2024

Cooper, Ashton. “Selections", Foundwork, Mar.

2023

Farley, Michael Anthony. “The Miami Report: Highlights from Basel and Beyond," Bmore Art, Dec. 8
Moges, Bethel S. “Hana Ward’s ‘How To Build Up Worn Out Soils’ @ OCHI," AUTRE, May 23
Khemsurov, Monica. “All the Best Art – and Design – We Saw at the 2023 Frieze Week in Los Angeles," Sight Unseen, Feb. 22
Wolfson, Julie. “Frieze LA: Depictions of Women by Women Artists," Cool Hunting, Feb. 21
Vankin, Deborah. “The Take: The faces of Frieze Los Angeles’ buzzy 2023 opening," Los Angeles Times, Feb. 17
Chikhoune, Ryma. “Frieze Returns to Los Angeles," Women’s Wear Daily, Feb. 16
“Lauren Haynes’s Top 5 Works on Frieze Viewing Room," Frieze, Feb. 15
Motta, Lucrezia. “The CF Guide To Frieze Los Angeles 2023," Citizen Femme, Feb. 15
Riefe, Jordan. “Say Frieze! Art Fair Lands at Santa Monica Airport," Los Angeles Magazine, Feb. 14
“A Ceramic Renaissance: Clay and Sculptural Works at Frieze Los Angeles," Frieze, Feb. 2
“History, Land and Identity | Highlights at Frieze Los Angeles 2023," Frieze, Jan. 13

2022

“10 Emerging Artists to Watch at Frieze Los Angeles 2023," Frieze, Dec. 15
Recinos, Eva. “On finding balance in your creative practice," The Creative Independent, Apr. 21
Spann, Vaughn & Allyssia Alleyne. “Vaughn Spann on 9 Black Artists He’s Excited About Now," Artsy, Jan. 31

2021

Steer, Emily. “Elephant’s Pick of November’s Essential Artists," Elephant, Nov. 15
Brosnihan, Anna. “Hear Her Here – Celebrating Black Femme Voices," FLAUNT, Nov. 3
Lee, Shannon. “5 Artists on our Radar in November 2021," Artsy, Nov. 1
Ghassemitari, Shawn. “Hana Ward’s Art Cultivates Exploration Into the Soil of the Mind," Amadeus Magazine, Oct. 12
“Looking for the best things to do in L.A.? Try these 12 pop-ups, merch drops, events: Parable 003," Los Angeles Times, Oct. 13
Gerlis, Melanie. “Exhibitors welcome return of fairs," Financial Times, Sep. 15
Sutton, Benjamin. “What Sold During Armory Week 2021," Artsy, Sep. 13
Kazakina, Katya. “The Demand Is Off the Charts: At the Independent Fair, Young Figurative Painters Steal the Show (and Draw Mile-Long Wait Lists)," artnet news, Sep. 10
Schwendener, Martha. “Still Independent and Still Exceptional," The New York Times, Sep. 9
Steinfeld, Daniela. “#38 Hunting the unknown: Hana Ward, artist," Voices on Art – The VAN HORN Gallery Podcast Independent Special, Jul. 20
Bowie, Summer. “An exit from this room and others like it: New Paintings & Ceramics by Hana Ward @ OCHI in Los Angeles," AUTRE, Apr. 13
“Must See Exhibition: an exit from this room and others like it," Artforum, Apr. 1
Wheless, Avery. “Gallery Rounds: Hana Ward at Ochi Projects," Artillery Magazine, Apr. 20

2019

“One on One with Hana Ward," Call + Response Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1., p53 (cover)

2018

Recinos, Eva. “In a West Adams Backyard, the Duo Uno+Ichi Is Creating L.A.’s Cutest Ceramic," Los Angeles Magazine, Jan. 31
GRLSQUASH, Iss. 2: SELF, Winter, p104

2017

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Wondering Woman: ‘Animating the Archives’ Channeled the Energy of Feminist Activity in L.A. from 1975 to 1991," Art News, Jun. 27

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

California African American Museum, Los Angeles, CA

University of Maryland, College Park, MD

News

  • Hana Ward

    Artist Talk: Back to the Land: Artists Visualizing Black Farming

    California African American Museum

    November 14, 2024

    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    Can’t-Miss Events During Atlanta Art Week
    Hyperallergic
    October 2, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    “Cowpea Consciousness” with OCHI Highlights Atlanta Art Week
    Juxtapoz
    September 30, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    The ultimate guide to Atlanta Art Week
    ArtsATL
    September 30, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    Third annual Atlanta Art Week takes over the city
    WABE Atlanta
    September 25, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    National Spotlight on Atlanta Arts Scene
    The Atlanta Journal Constitution
    September 24, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    Talking Atlanta Art Week
    ArtReview
    September 18, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    Art Talk: The California African American Museum presents “World Without End: The George Washington Carver Project”
    The Wrap
    September 16, 2024
    LINK

  • Hana Ward
    Art and Science Intermix in Dozens of Exhibitions Across LA This Fall
    Hyperallergic
    September 10, 2024
    LINK