Hanna Dís Whitehead, STRAW MARQUETRY Part 1. Sprouts 30 January – 15 March, 2026 in Hakk Gallery Reykjavík

So happy with my exhibition in Hakk gallery!

Photos by Marino Thoralcius

Straw marquetry
Part 1 - Sprouts
An art that evokes both joy and luxury, with surfaces sparkling with colours, contrasts, depth and shine, straw marquetry is also very much a craft. It teeters perfectly on an edge between the two, actually, a tension which emerges with remarkable clarity in Hanna Dís Whitehead’s works in this exhibition.
In order to adorn her objects with colourful designs, Hanna has taken up the noble mantle of the crafts and their capacity to let us create value from the world that surrounds us: where some might see animal feed and others biomass, Hanna Dís sees the possibility for beauty and sophistication.
Her journey to realize these has been both arduous and inspired. Not only does it take a vast amount of time to acquire any craft, as usually measured in the famous 10.000 hours, this craft, which is believed to have originated in Asia, but was developed into a rarified art form in France and Italy from the 17th century onwards, is now so rare that it’s almost impossible to find a master from which to learn.

And yet, bit by bit, working in her studio, in what can seem the edge of the world in south-east Iceland, Hanna patiently works to strengthen her grip on it. Domesticating every aspect of the process, from colouring, prying the straws open and experimenting with ways to perfectly attach them to objects, she has made it her own. Her insistence on working with materials from her environment has given this quest a further layer. Making connections with farmers, whose practices can align with her needs, her work with local straws is bringing a fresh perspective on the riches that even the rather unforgiving Icelandic nature can provide.

Experimentation with materials has been a central plank of Hanna’s career and here we witness that work yielding unexpected but delightful results. With her rigorous approach, what started as a youthful fascination with straws has become a whole new field in the Icelandic landscape of making. Straw marquetry is so new here, in fact, that in one of the country’s most time-honoured traditions, Hanna Dís devised a new word to describe it, a word which has now been approved by the official board of Icelandic language. In her efforts she turns promise and potential into a source of something intricate, fresh and full of beauty.

Nytjar in Svavarssafn Art Museum 28.01-15.april

SVAVARSSAFN ART MUSEUM
HÖFN, ICELAND

N Y T J A R

…then the question is… where is the rest of the national costume?
(-Björn Gísli Arnarson)

NYTJAR is an exhibition by artists Guðlaug Mía Eyþórsdóttir, Hanna Dís Whitehead, and Steinunn Önnudóttir.

You are warmly welcome to the opening of the group exhibition NYTJA at Svavarssafn Art Museum in Höfn, Hornafjörður, on Wednesday, January 28, at 5:00 PM.

The exhibition revolves around the collection of the Austur-Skaftafellssýsla District Museum, where artists Guðlaug Mía Eyþórsdóttir, Hanna Dís Whitehead, and Steinunn Önnudóttir have created new artworks based on their exploration of the Museum’s holdings.

The timing of the opening is determined by the birthday of Ásta Eiríksdóttir (1912–2008), wife of artist Svavar Guðnason, who donated around 200 of his artworks to the Municipality of Hornafjörður after his passing.

The entire collection of the District Museum has been kept in storage since 2012. In 2021, the three artists ventured on their first expedition through the collection with Björn Gísli Arnarson, Director of the former District Museum.

With his extensive knowledge and storytelling ability, Arnarson has unlocked the secrets of one object after another, from the collection. The art works in the exhibition are inspired by the stories of the Museum´s objects, their material composition, and/or their ingenious construction.

Later in the exhibition period, a comprehensive exhibition catalogue will be published, featuring photos of objects from the District Museum's collection and stories by Björn Gísli Arnarson, as well as articles by historian Arnþór Gunnarsson and ethnologist Sigrún Hanna Þorgrímsdóttir.

Part of Fokus - Vienna Design week - Curated by Sandra Nuut

4Ever flowers part of the group exhibition FOKUS: AGEING

“4ever Flowers” combines ceramics and oat straw—a material known for tactility and symbolic of ageing. Each autumn, Hanna Whitehead harvests straw from local fields and hangs it to dry, halting its life cycle and suspending it in time. After this period of transformation, the straw is dyed, receiving a second life through colour and intention. Its coarse texture—reminiscent of skin—bears the marks of time. As the dye fades, the flower’s face subtly shifts once more, making its quiet ageing visible and inevitable.

Everything withers over time. Maturing, weathering, and cracking are inevitable processes that affect humans, objects, surroundings, and ideas. In design, this relationship with ageing is multifaceted. Age draws lines on our faces and hands, while objects develop layers, depth, and patina, crack, show the passage of time and their natural decay. Ageing reminds us everything is ephemeral. This year’s edition of FOKUS delves into design’s relationship with ageing, highlighting its complexity and showcasing objects that accompany and remind us of our human condition. 

Mass-produced design objects are often preferred because of their pristine, smooth, new-looking surfaces. This preference leads us to overlook the natural lifecycle of objects, which eventually change, show signs of wear or become dysfunctional. Damaged or worn pieces are discarded, put aside, and replaced, continuing a throwaway culture that has been prevalent for decades, contributing to waste and scarcity of materials.

Sione Raaijmakers has argued on the Design by Women platform that the design industry is ageist, looking for fresh faces and work while forgetting seasoned designers. Older women are often ignored, while a man’s age is seen as a sign of experience and wisdom. Could we work on finding more inclusive practices? As societies, particularly in Europe, experience ageing populations, embracing inclusivity across all age groups seems imperative.  

There is profound beauty to be found in ageing. The wabi-sabi aesthetic, for instance, embraces transience and imperfections, appreciating the naturally ageing process of objects. Designers have the opportunity to create works that not only endure, but also mature gracefully. Practices such as remaking and repairing further contribute to the lifecycle of design. 

Some designs intentionally incorporate decay, rust, or other signs of wear from the start, embracing organic forms and the passage of time. As complex beings, our designs can reflect our intricate inner and outer layers.

Straw surfaces

Today in Stukusalur í Höfn I had an open house on the last day of my 6 week straw marquetry residency. It has been amazing to have time to explore the technique further thanks to a grant by Uppbyggingarsjodur Suðurlands.

AD France Collector magazine

So happy to have two of my works in the New AD France Collector magazine. Bow box & Wood weave cabinet are mentioned in the product directory in the grand guide 2025.

AD France Collector

Best of design & AD 100 list 2025

Unique, radical, never seen before but imposing itself as obvious… this is the design that we defend at AD and that we invite you to discover in our special issue AD Collector Design. A 2025 edition rich in new inspirations, trends – fleece, ornate, floral… –, pieces of furniture all in waves, baroque or hyper structured that are displayed in mini as in XXL, hoisting pop colors as well as pastel tones. An exhaustive panorama that owes everything to these designers, interior architects and decorators who are shaping the spirit of tomorrow and are included in our AD100 list as the greatest creators of the moment.