Meet Hannah Whitaker of Hannibalism Prints / The Cannibal Collective in Central Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Whitaker.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Hannah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been passionate about the arts and communities. When I started going to ASU a few years back I was really drawn to printmaking for this reason. The sense of community that you can gain when sharing a studio space with people is something you can’t find anywhere else.

During my first few years in the Phoenix metro I was heavily concentrated on my involvement in the DIY music scene and formed The Cannibal Collective as an arts collective that centered around creating creative spaces for marginalized people. Since forming this collective my mission has not changed but the kinds of events we host absolutely has. Since my exposure to the arts scene in Phoenix I’ve become much more interested in facilitating visual arts/experimental music events as opposed to traditional “rock music” shows. Much of this desire comes from being so inspired by the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside of at ASU. I think its extremely important to be giving back to the communities that are helping you grow and to me that means giving my peers a space to show and create freely, outside of the constraints of a gallery setting.

Now, with this new found sense of priority and the support of my professors and peers I’ve been investing more of myself in Phoenix’s visual arts scene and my own work. Which brings me to my love affair with Lithography. Lithography is my primary print medium and is the root of most of my work. Created in 1796 this form of printing is ancient and incredibly demanding of the printer. We work with heavy machinery in a chemical process to create works that really breath. When I’m making litho prints, I see it as a collaboration between myself and the stone. I use the physical labor it demands of me as a way to work through whatever emotional blocks I may be dealing with at the time; treating these works as a form of self-guided therapy in which I delve into my traumas to synthesize them into visuals.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’ve always been very fortunate to have a strong support system and as a result I feel I’ve been very privileged to be able to pursue my passion for the arts. Everything worth having comes with a struggle; however there aren’t any obstacles that can’t be overcome with hard work and heart. When times get hard I always just try to reframe my situation and remember how lucky I am to be a creator, regardless of any tangible successes; much of my work is about doing it for myself.

Please tell us about Hannibalism Prints / The Cannibal Collective.
I’m extremely process based. No matter what media I’m working in, lithography, screenprint, relief, I’m always really interacting with my materials. I’m big on repurposing things that might not traditionally have a home in artworks. For example, I love using metals and bits of found objects in my works, either as mark making tools or as a matrix for printing. I’m constantly picking up pieces of god knows what off the ground on my commute and thinking “I wonder what that could look like printed”. I think by letting these materials breath I’m able to reimagine what would be garbage in new ways and create works that have a very human feeling to them.

How would you describe the type of kid you were growing up?
Growing up, I was reserved but always curious. I was always trying to make something, trying to innovate something or create my own way of doing something. I can’t even tell you how many times I had to hear the lecture about cutting up my clothes or ruining my mothers blender for the sake of an “art project”. However, I have held onto many of these traits. While I’m much more outspoken as a young adult I swill feel the same sense of wonder I did as an eight years old. Life can get very heavy but through everything I have tried to hold onto childlike exploration in my art. It’s important to me that creating never stops being fun, its the wonder in the process that gets me so excited even now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hannibalismprints.com/
• Email: hannahnoellewhitaker@gmail.com
• Instagram: hannibalism.prints

Image Credit:
Art Detour image taken by Janet Diaz (Xico Inc), all other images taken by Hannah Whitaker.

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