Hana Almilli on Textiles, Identity, and Al Ghorba

Hana Almilli, an artist of Saudi, Syrian, Kurdish, and Turkish heritage, explores themes of identity, memory, and alienation through textiles, poetry, and multimedia. In an interview with Canvas, she discusses the Arabic term 'al ghorba'—a feeling of alienation mixed with nostalgia for home—which became a catalyst for her artistic practice. Almilli's work incorporates personal materials like a deceased friend's T-shirt and soil from Saudi Arabia, aiming to reconnect with her ancestors and preserve cultural histories. She learned weaving and natural dyeing techniques, inspired by her grandmother's knitting. Her poetry book, also titled 'Al Ghorba,' accompanies her visual art. Almilli studied architecture in the USA before switching to textiles, finding a more emotional and expressive medium. She emphasizes the meditative quality of textile work and the memory held in clothing. Her ongoing series on alienation reflects generational displacement and the importance of storytelling to keep heritage alive.