Viewing entries in
2012

November 2012

November 2012

Billy Friebele | Current Recorder

Hamiltonian Gallery is proud to present Current Recorder, a new project by artist Billy Friebele. Current Recorder will run from November 17 through December 29 with an opening reception on Saturday, November 17 from 7-9 pm. Please join us for an artist's talk on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 7:00 pm.

 In his debut solo exhibition as a Hamiltonian Fellow, Billy Friebele records wind currents, human movement and the passage of time through drawings generated by a kinetic found-object sculpture. Propelled by a windmill outdoors and motion sensors indoors, Current Recorder creates abstract spherical drawings that document the conditions of a specific location on a particular day. The drawings produced serve as visual meditations on time and place, illustrating that, as Heraclitus wrote, "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man."   

Artist Statement
I am interested in the invisible currents that pulsate around us: traffic patterns, rhythms of inhabitance, subtle breezes, and gusting winds. I am also interested in what washes up in alleys and parking lots as a result of these currents: a pair of crutches, scraps of metal, shopping carts, hubcaps. 

Current Recorder is a kinetic sculpture made from these repurposed objects. It responds to invisible currents through mark making: if motion occurs, a line is drawn. If there is stillness, a dot forms.

The drawing process began in my studio, where motion sensors triggered a series of fans that activated the machine to draw. These drawings documented the passing time and served as a record of my activity in the studio. The sculpture was then deployed into urban spaces to record wind patterns and create site-specific drawings. This process has been extended into the gallery in a similar fashion: the movements of the viewer trigger motion sensors that cause the machine to draw. 

Much like a vintage jazz record captures a specific performance as both a piece of music and a tangible object, Current Recorder gives visibility to flux and ephemerality. The project was inspired by the writings of Heraclitus: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man“.

 

 

click here to download a copy of the press release

 

November 17 - December 29, 2012

Opening Reception:
Saturday, November 17
7-9 pm

Artist's Talk:
Wednesday, December 12
7 pm

Hamiltonian Artists:
Billy Friebele

September 2012

September 2012

Amy Boone-McCreesh | Heritage Aesthetic

Hamiltonian Gallery is proud to present Heritage Aesthetic, a new body of work by artist Amy Boone-McCreesh.

In her debut solo exhibition as a Hamiltonian Fellow, Amy Boone-McCreesh investigates the visual language of ceremonies and rites of passage while exploring themes of transformation and transcendence. Boone-McCreesh's vibrant cut-paper, fabric and found object installations are a pastiche of cultural heritage, adopting material cues from tribal ephemera, Middle Eastern ornamentation, and American Indian vestments. Her deconstructed global aesthetic appropriates the embellishment associated with celebrations from across the globe, speaking broadly to human accomplishment, customs and the universal tradition of decoration. Aiding in a deeper investigation of the artist's visual inspirations, Heritage Aesthetic will feature a reading room containing images and books that inform the work in the exhibition.

 

click here to download the press release

September 22- October 13, 2012

Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 22
7-9 pm

Artist Talk:
Tuesday, October 2
7 pm

Hamiltonian Artists:
Amy Boone-McCreesh

August 2012

August 2012

new. (now). 

Introducing the 2012 Hamiltonian Fellows

Hamiltonian Gallery’s six new, distinguished fellows make their debut in the annual group exhibition new. (now). The gallery is thrilled to introduce:

  • Milana Braslavsky (MFA, University of Pennsylvania)
  • Annette Isham (MFA, American University)
  • Amy Boone-McCreesh (MFA, Towson University)
  • Billy Friebele (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)
  • Timothy Thompson (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)
  • Jerry Truong (MFA, University of California, San Diego)   

The 2012 Hamiltonian Fellows were selected from a pool of over 160 promising artists who applied to the fellowship program this year.  The fellows were selected by an external review panel comprised of six acclaimed art professionals, and were evaluated on criteria including artistic merit, relevance to today's art world, and the candidate's potential to thrive within the program.  The gallery would like to express its sincere thanks to the panelists for their generosity and enthusiastic support of this endeavor:

  • Doreen Bolger - Executive Director, Baltimore Museum of Art
  • Zoe Charlton - Visual Artist, Co-Director of MFA Program, American University
  • Katherine Mann - Visual Artist, Hamiltonian Fellow Alumna
  • Frank Hallam Day - Photographer, Addison/Ripley Fine Art  
  • James Rieck - Visual Artist, Professor, Corcoran College of Art + Design
  • Mollie White - Show Director, SCOPE Art Fair    

 

Hamiltonian Gallery is a dynamic space in the heart of the growing Washington, DC contemporary arts district. In partnership with Hamiltonian Artists, the gallery promotes the artistic and professional development of emerging artists. Through dynamic exhibitions, artist talks and collaborative programming, we seek to broaden the cultural dialogue within our modern community.

 

click here to download the press release

 

 

 

August 18 – September 15, 2012

photos by Nathan Wallace

June 2012

June 2012

Fellows Converge | The Obstructions.

Each Spring, Hamiltonian Gallery culminates its year of exhibitions by selecting an established artist to curate a group show that will include all of the Hamiltonian Fellows.  This year, we were thrilled to have Tim Doud, painter and Co-Director of the MFA program at American University, who guided the Fellows to conceive of an exhibition that to thrust new ideas into their studio practices.

Hamiltonian Gallery is proud to present, Fellows Converge:  The Obstructions.

 

As written by Tim Doud:

The 2012 Hamiltonian Fellows conceived the exhibition, “The Fellows Converge: The Obstructions,” after a round of group studio visits made to each other’s studios this summer.  (So move out of your seat…).

The theme of the show emerged from the Fellows’ post-visit conversations. The Fellows agreed, following the studio visits, that a thematic exhibition, which dictated a homogenized, shared content or subject was of no interest and presented no artistic challenge.  Instead they decided to challenge each artist by devising material requirements relevant to that artist’s work. Based on the Jorgen Leth / Lars Von Trier documentary, “The Five Obstructions,” the Fellows made unique obstructions for one another based on their artistic practices. 

The obstructions operate as useful critiques of existing work and challenge future work.  Eight fellows, eight obstructions: It was agreed that each Fellow would choose three obstructions from a menu of eight, devised by the collective group. (My anaconda don’t want none…).

This playful yet meaningful exercise offered fellows the opportunity to delve into each other’s practices, since a meaningful obstruction had to be considered in light of the artist’s typical practice.  This process offered each artist the opportunity to step outside of self-imposed rules, habits or routines.  As the mentor of the group I am excited about the project, as I found the obstructions enormously insightful, challenging and amusing.  I admire the fellows for taking the opportunity to challenge each other, and themselves, in the context of the “Fellows Converge” exhibition. For the record, I received some obstructions as well. I chose one. (What a man what a man what a mighty good man...).

Tim Doud

June 2012

 

click here to download a copy of the press release

 

June 2012

June 2012

June 2012

CALL + RESPONSE 2012

Hamiltonian Gallery is pleased to present the third edition of Call + Response, a collaborative exhibition between writers and artists. This exhibition will run from June 2nd – June 16th, 2012.

Call + Response is an annual art show pairing writers and artists to create new works with a twist. Five writers each contribute a call-a short piece of fiction or poetry-and five artists each create a new installation piece in response to one call. For the first time, this year’s writers will view the artworks prior to the show’s opening and respond in some way, possibly through creation, revision, or reflection, to the responses.

The pairings (writer + artist):

Kyle Dargan (poetry) and Mia Feuer (sculpture)

Michael Kimball (fiction) and Trevor Young (painting)

Reb Livingston (poetry) and Matthew Mann (painting)

Danielle Evans (fiction) and Lisa Marie Thalhammer (painting)  

Amber Sparks (fiction) and YAY Team (video)

Call + Response is co-curated by William John Bert and Kira Wisniewski. 

Join us for the opening of Call + Response on June 2, 2012, from 7-9 p.m., at Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U St. NW. Drinks courtesy of Chocolate City Beer. It will be preceded by a panel discussion with the artists and writers starting at 6 p.m.

 

click here to download a copy of the press release

June 2- June 16, 2012

Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 2
7-9 pm

Panel Discussion:
Saturday, June 2
6 pm

Hamiltonian Artists:
Matthew Mann

March 2012

March 2012

Jenny Mullins + Sarah Knobel

Hamiltonian Gallery is pleased to present two concurrent solo exhibitions of new works by Hamiltonian Fellows Jenny Mullins and Sarah Knobel, opening on Saturday, March 17, 2012.

Mullins explores themes of consumerism and American identity in her newest series of paintings, titled Gold for the Price of Silver.  Her monolithic and intensely detailed images incorporate traditional drawing and collage techniques to recreate contorted scenes from the works of nineteenth century French sculpture Antoine-Louis Barye.  Equal parts eye candy and repulsion, the images question the ideal of the American lifestyle. 

Sarah Knobel's new body of work includes photography, video and animation, which all coalesce to examine the need or desire to find purpose in our daily lives.  Between self-help books, prescriptive meditation, and obsessively repetitive habits, oftentimes, the rituals and procedures that are provided by our rhizome culture dislodge us from intuition.  In this work, Knobel continues her exploration of the idea of individuality, cultural assumptions, and ways we connect and relate to the world under fabricated structures.

This exhibition will run from March 17 – April 14, 2012, with an opening reception on Saturday, March 17, 2012, 7 – 9 pm.  Please join us for an artist talk with Jenny Mullins and Sarah Knobel on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 7:00 pm.

 

click here to download a copy of the press release

 

March 17 – April 14, 2012

Opening Reception:
Saturday, March 17, 2012
7–9 pm

Artist Talk:
Wednesday, April 11
7 pm

Hamiltonian Artists:
Jenny Mullins
Sarah Knobel

February 2012

February 2012

Joyce Y-J Lee | Passages
Matthew Mann | Buddy Pictures

Hamiltonian Gallery is pleased to present two concurrent solo exhibitions by Hamiltonian Fellows:  Joyce Y-J Lee, Passages - photography and video installations; Matthew Mann, Buddy Pictures – painting.

Both artists, trained as painters, each lay forward new bodies of work that continue to explore the tropes of Renaissance painting applied to their own contemporary narrative.  Although stylistically distinct, Lee and Mann both convey imaginary dimensions of space to metaphor the human condition.

Lee has given a beginning, middle and end to moments collected from disparate points around the world and through animate video projections and photography, she combines those moments into one single installation.

 

click here to download a copy of the press release

 

 

February 11 – March 10, 2012

Opening Reception:
Saturday, February 11
7–9 pm. 

Artist Talk:
Wednesday, February 22
7 pm

Hamiltonian Artists:
Joyce Y-J Lee
Matthew Mann