Sonder- Solo Art Exhibition by Hannah Cawthorne

Coming to Indigo Crow Gallery, 57 Burton Road, Lincoln on September 2nd, “Sonder” is the latest exhibition by local abstract artist Hannah Cawthorne. It promises to be as thought-provoking as it is visually striking.


But what exactly is Sonder?

It is a word coined in The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig, defined as “the profound feeling of realizing that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” For Hannah, discovering this word instantly struck a chord – it is a concept that seamlessly aligned with her own creative philosophy.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the inner workings of the mind. How our thoughts, emotions, and memories colour the way we perceive the world,” says Hannah. “Sonder put a name to that feeling I’ve often tried to capture in my work.”

An Interior World, Made Visible

Hannah’s work is unmistakable – bold, expressive, brimming with emotional energy. Her paintings and collages are saturated with colour and movement. While some pieces in “Sonder” directly engage with the idea of imagined interior lives, others serve as personal reflections – snapshots of how Hannah experiences the world through her own vibrant lens.

Whether through swirling forms, layered textures, or daring colour contrasts, her work asks the viewer to look beyond the surface and consider what lies beneath, not only in the art, but in the people around them.