Hanna Kojima Boyd

Degree: BA (Hons) Fine Art
University: Falmouth University
Graduation Year: 2024

New Blood Art Commentary

Hanna Kojima Boyd’s practice transforms the urban environment into a site of mystery and imagination, focusing on the interplay of light, reflection, and perception. Her work draws inspiration from fleeting phenomena, particularly the “molten windows” of city architecture—reflections on building facades that seem to flicker and melt under sunlight. Boyd describes these as portals to hidden worlds, using her paintings to explore the surreal and transient dimensions of these moments.

Through layered compositions, she bridges observation with invention, creating images that hover between the real and the fantastical. Her ability to evoke the subtle magic of urban spaces invites viewers to reconsider the ordinary, drawing them into her vision of the city as a place of wonder and transformation. Her paintings balance precision and fluidity, offering a glimpse into the poetic possibilities of the world around us.

Artist Statement

Between two houses halfway up the hill was a dark, winding passageway lined with trees that led out to the next street. The path was so narrow and overgrown that it was hardly noticeable from the street. When I emerged from the other end of the verdant tunnel, my senses heightened, and my eyes opened to a deeper understanding of the landscape around me.

Exploring the city’s urban architecture through this newfound lens, I was enchanted by the wavy reflections appearing on the windows of each building. It was as if some magical ingredient in the glass made the reflections flicker and melt under the sun's full force. To me, these molten windows were portals—urgent and beckoning. Through my work, I capture the mysterious worlds that lie beyond these portals, like postcards brought back from a tremendous adventure, revealing my visions for the audience to see.