The Gilded Hours | Solo exhibit by Hannah Robinett

On view through Sunday, August 16, 2026

New York, June 11 - August 16, 2026

exhibit statement

In an age that asks us to move faster, The Gilded Hours offers a quiet act of resistance. Drawing inspiration from the medieval Book of Hours—devotional manuscripts created to mark the day with moments of prayer and reflection—Hannah Robinett reimagines this tradition as a contemporary meditation on healing, memory, and the human need for order.

For nearly a decade, Robinett has studied the art and traditions of illuminated manuscripts, finding inspiration in their quiet rituals and careful craftsmanship. Through the repeated process of screen printing, the delicate application of gold leaf, and the slow building of each work by hand, her practice becomes a form of reflection. Gold is more than a decorative material; it elevates ordinary moments and suggests that stillness and self-examination can be acts of healing.

At the heart of these works is the balance between structure and emotion. Medieval manuscripts provided a framework for devotion, while Robinett's compositions create a framework for vulnerability. Grids, fragments of personal text, and luminous fields of gold hold space for grief, hope, uncertainty, and renewal. Her years as an interface designer continue to shape this language of precision and order.

As the artist explains, "The grid is a central metaphor in my work. It serves as an anchor of imposed order and desired perfection, against which the chaos of human feelings is measured… Personal notes or text fragments often appear throughout my work, functioning as an intimate entry point toward healing." In her hands, the grid becomes a place where emotion can be held rather than controlled.

The Gilded Hours suggests that while centuries separate us from the makers of the original Books of Hours, the essential questions remain unchanged. How do we create meaning from uncertainty? How do we restore ourselves after rupture? How do we find stillness amid the relentless movement of daily life?

artist statement

The Gilded Hours borrows the devotional framework of medieval manuscripts but marks a shift toward an intimate personal reflection within a contemporary practice. I have been studying the techniques of illuminated manuscripts for nearly a decade, discovering a guide to devotion through quiet stillness and deliberate ritual. In these works, the repetitive act of screen printing and the slow application of gold leaf become a way to physically manifest that internal quiet.

My newest body of work in this series is inspired by the Book of Hours, which served as a primary text for private meditation in the late Middle Ages. While my pieces reflect the richly illuminated pages of these historical volumes, I substitute the traditional context with vulnerable, personal reflections. Through this intentional and labor-intensive practice, I transform the intangible—time, ritual, and memory—into a tangible visual record, utilizing the manuscript’s structured layout as a container for human experience.

Centuries have passed since the origin of these manuscripts, and while the world has changed drastically, the human desire for order amidst chaos remains constant. By navigating the complexities of my own lived experiences, I allow each work to become a space where stillness, clarity, and renewal can emerge. In articulating these tensions, I visually offer viewers a place where contemplation, grounding, and renewal can coexist.

about the artist

Hannah Robinett is a Brooklyn-based artist primarily focused on works on paper with paint and gold leaf. Her practice examines themes of order, repair, and the emotional process of renewal.  Robinett’s work has been exhibited internationally in both group and solo exhibitions in London, Paris, Berlin, and New York City. She is on the Board of Directors of Arts Gowanus, a non-profit advocating for artists in Brooklyn. Robinett worked as an interface designer in New York City for fifteen years, an experience that has shaped her approach to structure, precision, and visual composition. She lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

@hannahrobinett.art 

hannahrobinett.com

about the gallery

At the Gallery at W83, we cultivate art and community on the Upper West Side, providing space for personal engagement, community conversations, and spiritual reflection, and collaborate with local artists from diverse backgrounds to explore universal themes of culture, community, and faith.

We bring together different perspectives in this space as an invitation to join in conversations we believe are vital to us all. We affirm the artist's right to express their views independently, and the views expressed by the artists are their own and do not necessarily represent the Gallery at W83 or Redeemer West Side.