b. 1996, Toronto.
EDUCATION
2024 MA Textiles, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2019 BDes Textiles, OCAD University, Toronto, CA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 The Weaver’s Arms, Projects Kavel Rafferty, Margate, UK
2020 Illustrations, Red Eye Espresso, Toronto, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 House of Haberdash, Torriano Meeting House, London, UK
2025 Piecing, Garage Gallery E17, London, UK
2024 All In, Fresh Salad, London, UK
2024 Interrogating the Unseen, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2024 Textiles in the Making, Upper Gilbunkian Gallery, London, UK
2024 Across RCA Exhibition, Hangar Space (RCA), London, UK
2022 One Story Is Not the Only Story, Montgomery's Inn, Toronto, CA
2020 Emotional Objects, XPACE Cultural Centre, Toronto, CA
2019 Use Tools, Make Other Tools, Flatiron Project Space, New York City 2019 110th Annual Grad Exhibition, OCAD University, Toronto, CA
2018 Recondite Garden, Little Sister Gallery, Toronto, CA
2018 Winter Garden Installation, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, CA
2017 1947-2017 Fashion Show, The Art School, Glasgow, UK
2016 Ritual/Virtual, Anna Lenowens Gallery, Halifax, CA
2016 MAAD Haus, The Drake Hotel, Toronto, CA
2016 GOD DUMPSTER, 8/11 Gallery, Toronto, CA
2015 20/20 Vision Hindsight, Worker’s Arts and Heritage Centre, Hamilton, CA
2015 Visualizing Absence, Tangled Art and Disability Gallery, Toronto, CA
2015 Visualizing Absence, L Space Gallery, Etobicoke, CA
TALKS
2021 The “Witch” in Relationality With The More-Than-Human: Mutually Shaping Experiences, The Witch Institute, Queens University
2021 Séance, Spirit and Ceremony in the Digital Sphere, The Motherboard: CADN 2021 Graduate Conference, OCAD University
2020 The Absence of the Witch, Medusa Graduate Conference, University of Toronto
2020 Remaking the World: What does it mean to work across disciplines today?, Canadian Art, Artist Project Contemporary Art Fair
Hannah Zbitnew is a textile artist and researcher. Her practice is research-led and devotional in nature. Her woven forms and craft objects are steeped in folkcraft tradition, using repetition and the communal archive as touchpoints.
She holds a BDes from OCAD University and an MA from the Royal College of Art.
She lives in London.
Hannah, 2025 (above)
Anna, 1910s (below)
Anna, 1910s (below)
The Weaver’s Arms at Projects Kavel Rafferty, Margate, Kent.
Photos & scans by Hannah Zbitnew (1, 7 - 11), Amy Hzu Tsu Chen (2-4) & Phill Barnes (5-6)
An ode to repetition, folk craft and the communal archive, pictorial weavings, costume outlines and threading drafts co-exist as renderings of Doukhobor textile techniques. Drawing from Zbitnew’s Doukhobor heritage, the work of once-known craftsmen and contemporary dress theory, her work serves as an acknowledgement to the intimate gestures of weaving and the effort of being a custodian to objects and their histories.
The Doukhobors share the Orthodox tradition of hanging their most intricate handwoven tea towel in pride of place; the main difference being the presence of a religious icon. The Doukhobors have no idols, and so the huckaback linens rest on the wall as a testament to skill, collectivity, and spirit. This work endeavours to do the same.
Pearl Hung, 2025, beads, thread, paper, pins
VA Gate, 2024, beads, thread, paper, tape
Two for the Corner, 2025, beads, thread, paper, pins
The Absence of the Witch Doesn’t Negate the Spell as part of Emotional Objects at Xpace Cultural Centre, Toronto.
Images by Polina Teif (1) and Lisette Dunin-Markiewicz (2 - 4)
The Void is Soft as part of the 70th Annual Glasgow School of Art Fashion Show at the Art School, Glasgow
Images by Karlie Wu (1, 2) and Hannah Zbitnew (3)