Past Exhibition

Doing The Work

Kyrae Dawaun, Cecilia Kim, Ara Koh, Matthew Russo, Samera Paz

May 13–August 5, 2023

Hamiltonian Artists and the Kreeger Museum are pleased to present Doing The Work, featuring Hamiltonian Fellows Kyrae Dawaun, Cecilia Kim, Ara Koh, Samera Paz, and Matthew Russo. On view at the Kreeger Museum, the group exhibition will present new and existing works created by the cohort of 2021–2023 Hamiltonian Artists fellows.

There are several pockets of contemporary discourse—from social justice to mental health—in which the question often arises: “What does doing the work look like?” In this group exhibition that includes photo, sculpture, drawing, and video, The Work is both personal and collective, theoretical and tangible. It takes shape in various forms, such as domestic labor, self-reflection, and methodical construction.

Rather than focusing on end results, each piece is evocative of progression, calling attention to the patience, play, and serendipity that occurs within periods of growth and development. In Doing The Work, two fundamental truths emerge at the fore: the work looks different for each of us, and there is always more to be done. This exhibition is presented under the Collaborative, a program developed by the Kreeger Museum in 2021 to support Washington, DC-area artists.

Curated by Hamiltonian Artists’ Fellowship Manager and Curator, Anisa Olufemi.

Artists

Kyrae Dawaun (b. New York, NY; lives and works in Washington, DC) earned his MFA at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (2020), and BFA at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, Washington, DC (2013).

Cecilia Kim (b. Seoul, South Korea) earned her MFA in Photography and Film at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (2021), and BFA in Studio from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2017).

Ara Koh (b. Seoul, South Korea; lives and works in Washington, DC) earned her MFA in Ceramic Art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY (2020), and BFA in Ceramics and Glass from Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea (2018).

Samera Paz (b. Washington, DC; lives and works in Washington, DC) is a self-taught artist.

Matthew Russo (b. 1996, Worcester, MA; lives and works in Washington, DC) earned his his MFA from American University, Washington, DC (2020), and BFA in Painting from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, Old Lyme, CT (2018).


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