Mariah Hall: BFA Artist Talk

Facilitated by Western Gallery Museum Educator Zoë Fejeran.

Artist Statement

"Behind Her Eyes" is a graphic novel that explores death, grief, toxic relationships, identity, and the journey of healing. Rooted in personal experience, the story blends surreal imagery with a deeply emotional narrative to reflect the protagonist Mya’s shifting mental and emotional states.

The first act opens with warm, soft tones that evoke the innocence and comfort of Mya’s childhood. These hues gradually give way to a deep blue as her world begins to fracture. In the second act, we witness the trauma and emotional weight she carries into adulthood, illustrated through a stark black-and-white palette that mirrors her inner desolation. The final act begins a slow return to color—symbolizing growth, recovery, and reconnection—culminating in a moment of shared presence as the story ends in a gallery, where art and healing coexist.

Alongside the novel, I created a series of paintings that represent the depression, anxiety, anger, and fear Mya endures. Complementing these is a Cyanotype Bean Bag Chair, printed with imagery from healing moments in the story—a physical embodiment of comfort and recovery.

This installation invites you to step inside the world of "Behind Her Eyes." As you enter, you're flanked by pages from the novel, leading you into Mya’s reconstructed bedroom. Here, drawings, paintings, furniture, and artifacts from her journey create an intimate space that blurs the boundary between fiction and memory.

Through creating this work, I discovered strength in vulnerability. What began as an expression of pain became a story of resilience, healing, and self-discovery.