Samantha Hill

Artist Bio

Samantha Hill is a transdisciplinary artist with an emphasis on archives, oral story collecting & social projects. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an emphasis in Sculpture in 2010.  Hill works in a variety of media including installation, sculpture, performance and new media technologies.  Hill has received several honors including The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Trustee Merit Scholarship, International Sculpture Center Award and the Philadelphia Sculptors Award. 

Hill has experience working with youth of various ages economic and cultural backgrounds teaching individual as well as collaborative art practices in several forms of media.  Her pedagogical practice is to help students realize their artistic vision by teaching them traditional and progressive media techniques with a foundation in conceptual practice and art history while promoting their self-confidence.  She is also interested in collaborating with teachers and staff to encourage students to explore the scope of their artistic vision while providing an engaging and supportive learning environment. 

Educational philosophy

Art is a powerful medium which can engage the mind and activate the soul. It can be used as a catalyst to inspire students take risks in their works as well as the courage to express their own story.  This story can take many forms from traditional media such as painting and sculpture to more progressive modes such as digital arts, performance and the internet.  It is my goal as a teacher to help my students find the best artistic tools for their expression while experimenting with conceptual ideas and practices. 

Artist Statement

The focus of my artistic research is to create immersive environments, which reflect memories/experiences of a person within a particular location/space.  I investigate how society, location and memory intersect within collected narratives and archives.  The boundary between memory and reality are recreated into site-specific locations using various media, such as installation, sculpture, sound and performance. These works take the form of scenarios, which are investigations for cultural and/or institutional critique.

Simultaneously, I strive to create a new experience for the viewer through the act of participation. The body is transformed into a living sculptural object within the work, which acts as a conductor between the narration and the location while granting permission to the viewer for sharing and dialog.