Zana

Artists: Adrienne Hasani, Sarah Beeson, Natalie Gray, Jo Huyg, Maria Robertson and Mary Sheehan.

This group exhibition brings together six female artists whose practices explore the layered intersections of memory, identity, materiality, and care. While working across diverse media—from painting and photography to installation, sound, and sculpture—each artist is united by an intimate engagement with the tensions between visibility and concealment, tradition and transformation, the personal and political.

Drawing from diasporic narratives, intergenerational trauma, environmental observation, and the quiet design of institutional and domestic spaces, the works invite viewers into nuanced reflections on belonging, vulnerability, and resilience. Whether through the symbolic weight of cultural objects, the metaphoric resonance of natural materials, or the raw exposure of personal experience, this exhibition offers a shared yet multifaceted dialogue about how we navigate—and narrate—our place in the world.

It draws from the powerful mythological figures of Albanian folklore. Ethereal, strong female spirit who embodies nature, protection and resilience. The first window features the work of an Albanian artist, grounding the exhibition in the ancient heritage of Illyria and Albania, the country that is the oldest of the old. The opening sets the tone by representing the very origins of time and culture, connecting contemporary artistic voices to the deep, foundational roots of history.

As we move the windows you will see all artists embody Zana, warrior-like, showing moral ambiguity, strength and deep connection to nature. Just like our goddess Thana we represent the very nadirs of healing, feminine wisdom, mystery and enchantment.

She is a natural spirit that embodies strength, protection and is wild. Something these artists all reflect through the connection of heritage, resilience, and powerful forces that shape our identity and creativity. Just as the timeless spirit– these six artist channel a delicate balance between vulnerability and power, tradition and transformation, inviting viewers to witness endurance, belonging and renewal.

From the elemental forces captured in Maria’s sculptural explorations, to Adrienne’s tapestry of diasporic symbolism, and Natalie’s reflections on growth and change, the artists evoke the protective and transformative energy that Zana represents. Sarah’s meditations on nature’s control and surrender, Jo’s intricate craftsmanship revealing life’s inescapable experiences, and Mary’s tactile storytelling of trauma all resonate with this mythic force—one that nurtures resilience, amid uncertainty and the enduring cycles of life that shape our shared humanity.