new.now. (2022)

Hamiltonian Artists is pleased to present new.now., our annual group exhibition, debuting the work of Hamiltonian’s five distinguished 2021–2023 fellows: Kyrae Dawaun, Cecilia Kim, Ara Koh, Samera Paz, and Matthew Russo. The exhibition will be on view from December 18, 2021, to January 29, 2022. There will be an Artist Talk on January 19 at 6pm, and a closing reception on January 29 at 4pm.

This exhibition provides a snapshot of the five artists’ creative practices and works they will be expanding upon during their time with Hamiltonian Artists over the next two years. Materiality is at the core of much of the work, and interpretation of form is manipulated through the artists’ personal experiences.

Kyrae Dawaun will present a selection of work across mediums. Tethered by language, Dawaun’s theatrical works depict archetypal characters and criticize rhetorical tropes. Cecilia Kim explores the liminal space of interwoven memory and overlapping familial relationships. Her poetic works study spoken text and warped environments through installation and video. Ara Koh will show works that highlight her unique relationship with clay. While Koh’s vessels and sculptures reference memory, the gestural landscapes and intricate surfaces in her paintings with clay are an exploration of texture and metamorphosis. Samera Paz explores the contemporary dilemmas of womanhood through photography and performance. Paz uses her body as a medium to explore femininity, sexuality, gender roles, and intimacy to face her own traumas and experiences. Having humor, presence, and a group dynamic, Matthew Russo’s energetic sculptures and abstract paintings challenge our understanding of material objects. Russo’s work discusses the purpose of the form through our environmental influences and experiential reality.

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).