Based in Germany, Hanna Jo (b. 1991) uses anatomical imagery as a means of illustrating the fundamental equality of all human beings, raising questions about the essence of human relationships.
 
Her paintings, which resemble depictions of the body’s interior, strip away the surface of human appearance to explore the universal essence within. The human body—deconstructed and reassembled by the artist—transcends individual characteristics and evokes the shared nature of our existence.

In the early stages of her practice, Hanna Jo focused less on the interior of the human body and more on capturing fleeting facial expressions and gestures. She was interested in the constant movement and transformation of people and their surroundings, documenting compelling moments on canvas.
 
However, during the pandemic in Germany, Jo was confronted with issues such as racism, which led her to move away from depicting external markers of identity. In response, she began portraying figures by removing gender-specific features, clothing, and skin color—rendering her subjects in neutral silhouettes that transcend visible identity.

However, despite her intentions, Hanna Jo began receiving feedback from viewers who attempted to infer the gender of the figures in her paintings. This led her to question: “If I wish to eliminate outward markers of identity, should the surface even exist in my work?”
 
By repeatedly posing this question to herself, Jo began to explore how one might speak about human existence without the influence of social biases or preconceptions. Through this inquiry, she gradually shifted her focus inward—stripping away the surface and turning her gaze toward the anatomical structures of the human body.

Through this shift, Hanna Jo's work moved beyond external characteristics to erase the human form itself, focusing instead on the internal structure of the body to speak to the essential elements shared by all.
 
While identity markers such as race and gender, visible on the body’s surface, are categorized as information, the interior of the human body is a universally shared structure—one that transcends difference. By peeling away the layered information imposed upon the skin, Jo deconstructs and reconstructs anatomical elements, visualizing the essence of what it means to be human.

Before beginning a painting, Hanna Jo studies various anatomical forms by referencing academic texts in the field of anatomy. She then spontaneously lays down a base layer of color on a surface such as canvas, observing the accidental brushstrokes and textures that emerge to find inspiration for new forms.
 
At this stage, drawing on the anatomical structures she has studied, Jo experiments with fragmenting and recombining parts of the body to discover new hybrid forms—exploring which combinations might work visually and conceptually.

While Hanna Jo’s earlier works focused primarily on anatomical elements and formal aspects of the body, her recent practice shows a growing tendency to imagine the spaces in which these forms exist—thereby expanding the narrative dimensions of her work.
 
In search of new ideas, Jo began observing spatial elements such as the earth and terrain. Through this process, she discovered morphological and functional similarities between nature and the human body. For instance, she noted that the shape of plant roots resembles human blood vessels. She also observed that both the human body and the earth are physically real yet remain inaccessible in their entirety—each containing inner worlds that are hidden from plain view.

In the two-person exhibition 《Land of Origins》, held at P21 in 2025, Hanna Jo drew upon these similarities by constructing imagined spaces in which the interior of the human body was likened to the earth. Within these spaces, she presented works that expressed a variety of emotions and thoughts as life forms—each imbued with new vitality, as if growing from the ground.

Scenes that blend real anatomical structures with the artist’s imagined beings create the impression of stepping into a fictional world, while simultaneously evoking a deep, universal resonance with the human psyche.
 
Upon closer inspection of these newly formed entities—born from the recombination of fragmented body parts—one discovers “eyes” embedded within them. Though at first they may resemble grotesque, otherworldly creatures, the moment one recognizes the organ as akin to a human eye, an uncanny sense of both unfamiliarity and familiarity arises.

The artist explains, “In the process of creating new life forms and new identities through anatomy, I placed eyes on these shapes to anthropomorphize and characterize them. While anatomical imagery can often appear grotesque or feel difficult to approach, I wanted viewers to see these forms as equal living beings and to engage with them on that level—so I gave them human-like qualities.”

In addition, in the 2025 exhibition 《Young Korean Artists 2025: Here and Now》 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Hanna Jo presented works that depicted interior spaces resembling views seen through a microscope. These imagined environments—evocative of underground terrain or the muscular structure of the human body—featured new life-form-like figures interwoven with elements such as plant roots, muscle fibers, microorganisms, and fungi.

Hanna Jo employed various techniques to bring vitality to the new hybrid entities within her painted interior spaces, adding a sense of depth and diverse surface textures. To achieve this, she finishes her works with transparent pigments that preserve the natural color of the canvas, layering multiple coats on top to build rich, complex surfaces.

 After, the artist repeatedly applies and dries acrylic paint on canvas or wooden panels to create various layers of color. Then, using tools such as a soldering iron, brushes with different textures, water, cloth, and other materials, she scrapes away parts of the surface.
 
Through this process, the layers that the artist originally built up blend and transform physically, leaving traces of these changes visible in the artwork. This adds a sense of vitality both to the surface texture and to the depicted subjects.

Hanna Jo’s images, as if viewed through an optical device revealing the inner workings of the body and nature, metaphorically suggest a world of equality beyond social or cultural standards. They blur the boundaries between human and nature, organic and inorganic, self and other, functioning as a visual language that explores the fundamental interconnectedness of existence.
 
The new hybrid creatures seamlessly connected within her work evoke various emotions in the viewer, guiding them to discover the essence within themselves.

 ”I repeat the act of applying and removing paint until the work is complete. Through this process, I create a visual representation of the emotions and memories that build up inside me over time. The layers of paint build up, adding different colours and textures. Through this, I hope to evoke an emotional response in the viewer.”    (Hanna Jo, Artist’s Note) 

Based in Germany, Hanna Jo is currently studying at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Germany. Her notable solo exhibition is 《Persona》 at Raum6, Stuttgart (2023).
 
Jo has  also participated in various group exhibitions, including 《Young Korean Artists 2025: Here and Now》 (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, 2025), 《Land of Origins》 (P21, Seoul, 2025), 《Exoskeleton》 (P21, Seoul, 2024), 《Keine schlafenden Hunde wecken》 (Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, 2024), 《Youth Sanctuary》 (Joseph Konsum, Leipzig, 2023), 《Rundgang》 (ABK, Stuttgart, 2022), 《Süsse Stückchen》(im Kunstverein, Böblingen, 2022), among others.
 
Hanna Jo participated in Frieze Seoul in 2024 in collaboration with P21 Gallery and was nominated for the 27th Bundespreis (Federal Prize) for Art Students in 2025.

References

• P21, 조한나 (P21, Hanna Jo)
• P21, [서문] Land of Origins (P21, [Preface] Land of Origins)
• P21, 노해나 – 기원의 땅 (P21, Noh Haena – Land of Origins)
• 국립현대미술관, 작가인터뷰 | 조한나 | 젊은 모색 2025: 지금, 여기 (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, ARTIST INTERVIEW | Jo Hanna | Young Korean Artists 2025: Here and Now)
• 국립현대미술관, [리플렛] 젊은 모색 2025: 지금, 여기 (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, [Reflet] Young Korean Artists 2025: Here and Now)
• 핸드메이커, [현장스케치] 자연과 인간, ‘생명’의 관점에서 조명한 본질적 유사성 … 조한나, 이천국 2인전 “Land of Origins”, 2025.02.24)