Interview with Artist Hannah Strunk

Dismantling Stigma and Stereotypes in the Modern World

by Cloie Davis, Staff Writer

Hannah Strunk, an artist and student in the Fine Arts program at Georgia Southwestern State University, creates art with the intention to discuss and dismantle social stigmas. She illuminates stereotypes established in our society by patriarchy and white supremacy, while subverting these stigmas and stereotypes, and flipping them on its head. Upon asking Strunk what their art is about and what the main ideas behind their work, Strunk responded, “My ideas center around dismantling stigma and social stereotypes. This covers a wide array of social issues that I like to explore.” For example, one thing that psychologists are saying is that weed and alcohol don’t act as gateways for substance abuse, but that trauma and alienation do.”

What ideas and art works are you currently working on?

“Right now I’m doing stuff about gender stereotypes and how gender is a social construct. I’m also making a lot of art about Britney Spears right now, her situation, and how it correlates to sexism and disability rights.”

What are your personal thoughts on gender theory and gender stereotypes?

“I’ve been researching gender as a social construct, that society treats gender as a highly binary part of nature; however, nothing biologically associated with reproductive organs, or the brain are highly dimorphic consistently upon the presumed two genders. There are many natural variations, and the fact that we associate traits and behaviors with assigned sex, and inflate the differences, and the relevance between the sexes, results in a lack of female talent in STEM industries and in other male dominated fields. This holds back our progress as a species.”

“The Resolute Desk” By Hannah Strunk

“We have these ‘American values’, and ‘we stand for equality’, and we would ‘never let anything like the Holocaust happen here’, but right now there are concentration camps operating in the US with children in cages, as you read this article, dear reader.”

“Free Britney! Free Us All!” By Hannah Strunk“

This piece was inspired by a funny conversation I had with a friend. I was talking with my friend about whether Britney should be holding an explosive or a chainsaw in my piece, to have destroyed her cages or chains. My friend suggested a nail file because it took so long for Britney to be taken seriously, but worried that presenting her with a nail file, would cause some people to view the piece as anti-feminist. I think a big part of Britney’s story is that people didn’t take her situation seriously for so long because she is a woman, and such a highly feminine one, at that. I don’t like when femininity is shamed in feminism, which happens sometimes. My friend agreed, because she said she was embarrassed to like the color pink, but that she did like the color pink, and when she texted me about that, she said, “**** the patriarchy! Free Britney! Free us all!”, which inspired me to make this piece.”

What made you choose the Fine Arts program at GSW?“

I’ve always been interested in glass art, and I took classes on how to make stained glass before coming to GSW. I wanted to learn glassblowing, and GSW is the only affordable college in the region that offers glassblowing, because they offer in-state tuition to neighboring states. I’ve always been very attracted to glass art when I see it, and as a child I’d see the glass art at places like Dollywood and colonial Williamsburg, and I always wanted to try it. I’m definitely interested in stained-glass techniques and mixing blown glass with stained glass techniques to create interesting sculptural pieces. Glassblowing is addictive because it is endlessly challenging, and the possibilities of what you can do with it is so infinite. You never run out of new ideas.”

Hannah Strunk demonstrating glassblowing.

Video and pictures by Cloie Davis

Watch Hannah's glassblowing demonstration here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSRspWLVbD8