My Strange Balcony merges the classical with the contemporary, reflecting on isolation, self-perception, and societal pressures. Hannah reimagines a solitary woman from Édouard Manet’s The Balcony (1868), placing her behind a green balcony railing with a pensive gaze directed inward as much as outward. Behind her, graffiti declaring “Because I’m Worthless” and a mischievous rat wielding a paint roller (a nod to the street artist Banksy) infuse the piece with modern disillusionment and biting social commentary.

The illusion paper tentacles, an extension of Hannah herself, reach through the railing, wrapping around the woman as though attempting to comfort her or perhaps shake her free from the weight of self-doubt. This surreal element signals a demand to look closer, to acknowledge the insidious nature of internalized doubt and the external forces that reinforce it. The juxtaposition between Manet’s 19th-century figure and the modern setting underscores the persistence of these struggles across time, challenging viewers to consider who defines worth and why.

In My Strange Balcony, Hannah confronts the tension between past and present, beauty and imperfection, solitude and visibility. The piece serves as a haunting meditation on self-worth, urging viewers to recognize the unseen forces (both personal and societal) that shape our understanding of value and authenticity.