The University Art Gallery is currently featuring “Lost in Translation,” an exhibit by artist Hannah Duggan. Her work involves multiple mediums and explores the many crosspoints between modern language and technology.
Duggan, who currently teaches at Central Michigan University, holds a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Georgia and an MFA in studio art from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Her professional art journey began unexpectedly during her undergraduate years.
“I always loved art, but didn’t think of it as an actual career choice until undergrad,” she said. “I decided to take an art course as an elective and immediately felt it was actually what I wanted to pursue in college.”
Her current exhibit at SVSU’s gallery is titled “Lost in Translation.” This collection came from her interest in the changes she experienced when shifting between mediums and formats.
“When I was working on my Porcelain Paper Series, I started taking text and images from digital sources and transferring them to clay tablets meant to appear as faux printer paper,” she said. “I was thinking about the translation of digital text and images, and the misprints, errors, and changes that occur when shifting from one way of viewing to another.”
Duggan’s affiliation with SVSU began when she found the open call while looking for opportunities in Michigan shortly after joining CMU’s faculty.
“It took a bit of time to coordinate the exhibition, but it happened at a really great time,” she said. “I was able to show my ceramic work from graduate school to my current ceramic practice.”
Duggan balances multiple mediums and continues to expand her skills with painting and ceramics.
“I tend to toggle between oil painting and ceramics,” she said. “Right now, I am working on developing a new body of paintings, so I will say painting is my current favorite medium, but sometimes ceramics takes the lead as well.”
Of the featured pieces, the “Warped Amphoras” hold special significance for Duggan.
“The “Warped Amphoras” felt like an accomplishment to complete so they are my current favorite,” she said. “I was worried the absolutely huge slip cast mold would end up having problems or the piece would end up stuck in the mold. Many things could have gone wrong when making and using it.”
Although Duggan’s next projects are still in early stages, she said she looks forward to continuing her exploration of form and material.
“I am in the beginning stages of a new body of paintings, but it will be at least a year before [they are] complete,” she said.
Duggan also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share her work with SVSU’s community.
“Lost in Translation” is part of the 2025–26 Exhibition Season and is currently on display at the University Art Gallery, located inside the Arbury Fine Arts Center.
For more information, visit svsu.edu/artgallery/2025-2026exhibitionseason or hannahduggan.com.
