Staff Perspectives

DERRICK VELASQUEZ

CASCADE AND CADENCE

Allie Painter - Summer/Fall Intern 2024

Cascade and Cadence is an exhibition that emphasizes the aesthetic condition of modern society. It is a story of architectural awareness through a contemporary lens that subverts the expectations of its audience. When walking through the show, I am drawn to the repetitive nature of the patterns that Derrick Velasquez mimics from urban structures. This methodical repetition, most evident in his untitled vinyl works, builds feelings of awe at the surplus of strips; revealing the dedication which Velasquez has to his craft. They are incredibly tailored pieces, some defiant of physics. These cascading wall sculptures evoke a connection to metropolitan structures. Specifically, “Untitled 440”, in my opinion, emphasizes the monumentality of urban buildings. It is an overwhelming and towering piece. Yet one of balance, stability, and radiance. Its color, or lack thereof, is also in a repetitive pattern; over a hundred black and white vinyl strips compress one another atop a vertical piece of slim maple wood. There is weight juxtaposing an unsuspected airiness in this exhibition. These pieces combine to subvert “high-brow” ideals in modern architecture and design. He does so materially, conceptually, and technically speaking throughout each piece, abstracting the ideals and producing a parodical display of dissonance between the materials and concepts.

Dylan Olive Dornfeld - Spring/Summer Intern 2024

When I see this show, I am impressed with how Velasquez is able to transport me, to an undeniably-gothic place and time, while still making me feel "at home" as a lover of metropolises. I am drawn to the almost, just-shy-of-"towering" glass pieces, and the way I must look up towards it. I am infatuated as well with the more sculptural objects of the show, how they are displayed on the floor, in addition to objects hung flush on the wall, and ones jutting out. Ornamentation is an important ideal to me as well as Velasquez. I view it as an almost painful process relating to back to the self and a necessary metamorphosis. This belief of mine is nearly echoed in Apollo XIV, as it is twisted, knotted and sat on the floor, where it must reside. Utmostly, there is one piece above all that drives forward my understanding of a contemporary residence, Untitled 439. There is an important pinnacle residing within this piece, especially seeing it without its vinyl clothing. The almost totemic quality of this piece reminds me of my time in New York City. The cool blues echoing the color of crystal glass shining in the sky or the hasty wind that is felt on and within myself. The cream color that is found in the bricks and the clouds and the smog; These things that entranced me so much are evident within this piece. It stands, to me, as a reminder of that feeling as you are standing in the street, looking up to the looming buildings above... drowning in the sensation that you are especially not alone. That other people have experienced the same as you. It is a feeling of ultimate connectivity.

Sydney Short - Fall Intern 2024

Derrick Velasquez’s solo exhibition, "Cascade and Cadence," at Hawthorn Contemporary creates a unique experience that brings together architecture, sculpture, and our everyday lives. His work encourages us to think about important social and political issues, turning everyday architectural forms into meaningful reflections on how urban development affects our feelings and our sense of belonging. The exhibition skillfully combines beauty with critique, balancing a sense of elegance and familiarity while addressing socio-economic themes. This connection invites visitors to rethink the spaces they live in, linking Velasquez's installations to their personal experiences in urban settings. The mix of soft, flexible materials with the sharp lines of traditional carpentry offers a stunning visual contrast. I can’t help but notice a bond forming between the classic architecture of Europe and the sleek looks of modern design. Ultimately, this interplay between contrasting styles encourages a deeper appreciation for the evolving relationship between historical and contemporary design in our everyday environments.

TEARS SHAPED LIKE WATERMELON SEEDS

A group benefit exhibition for humanitarian efforts in Palestine

Dylan Olive Dornfeld - Spring/Summer 2024 intern

When seeing this show, I cannot help but immediately think of the devastation taking place. There is a heaviness, whilst brimming with beauty… I think Zuhal Feraidon’s series of drawings, “I Paint While My Muse Fights,” captures this feeling in an unforgettable way. It is actually a title that struck me to tears the first time I read it, a year or so ago. This title, while matched with the visual elements of rushing paint strokes and female figures clad in their burqa, dancing with death or running in place, standing side by side, or their insides spilling out, exposed and vulnerable; it releases a more human emotion. I felt as if I understood Zuhal, as she asks, how dare I sit here and paint you, while you are far away, in my home, suffering? The muses she paints are idolic. They are symbols of resilience and survival, dancing wildly and rebelliously to succor survival. Zuhal ignites a sense of solidarity and shared humanity, compelling me to question our role in bearing witness and taking action in the face of injustice… as I reflect on this exhibition, I am reminded of the power that art has to transcend boundaries and amplify voices that may go otherwise, unheard.

Rita Jennings - Summer 2024 intern

While experiencing “Tears Shaped Like Watermelon Seeds” I could not help but think about those in Gaza and the experiences forced upon them. I am filled with sympathy as the people and its region continue to be violated. This collective of artists inspires me to be hopeful for the future of Gaza. I am humbled to be able to experience their artwork in its entirety. William J. Andersen’s beautiful blue porcelain like stars are strikingly unforgettable. “Notes From Arabia: The Delegation” is wonderfully intricate with floral patterns throughout. The symmetrical eight pointed star speaks upon bringing harmony and stability. I am reminded about the future of Gaza.

Stella Rose Koslowski - Summer 2024 intern

The heavy emotions and compassion fill the space, even when coming from works that are, on the surface, small or simplistic. Every piece speaks with a unique voice about a shared hope. Each artist captures my attention, whether it be with bright colors and patterns, or subtle gestures.

Nina Ghanbarzadeh’s work, "These days are as dark as night III", in particular I found very captivating, because of how the delicate use of materials creates such a complex and layered shape. From a distance the strokes are beautiful, and the use of intense darks and blending create a lot of depth that seems to suck me in. But upon looking closer and seeing the delicate writing hidden within the shape, I was instantly left wondering what these words mean, and the story they may tell. Using text as a visual tool not only creates an interesting composition, but also emphasizes the fact that an individual created this work to convey an experience, and to remind us all of our shared humanity.

Allie Painter - Summer 2024 intern

While experiencing Tears Shaped Like Watermelon Seeds, the participating eleven artists elicit a response of grief in this collaborative exhibition based on their frustrations and attachments to the events occurring in Gaza. All call to attention the tragedies and truths of war, these artists consider the beauty of these cultures while juxtaposing them with harsh realities. The art begs to be seen through a humanitarian lens, longing for action against the violence that persists. David Najib Kasir, one of the participating artists and coordinators, emphasizes presence and absence through his displayed work in this collection. Pulling from personal narratives and history, Kasir seems to draw to attention those who remain voiceless and faceless in chaos. Those who are overlooked and forgotten. My favorite piece in the show of his being “The Ratio of Percents in Ghosts”, depicted in this painting is a child being carried by a faceless person. There is helplessness, desperation, and urgency present. I look at the child, in the arms of this person and I create a narrative of loss. This child is no longer with us orclose to leaving us, but there is not much time left. I find this as representation of innocent lives taken in times of war, especially those of children. There is grief in this exhibition. An intense grief and a call to action for those who stand against the turmoil experienced in Gaza and other cities of similar tragedies.

DAWN CERNY

The Coconut Effect

Dylan Olive Dornfeld - Spring 2024 intern

When I see Dawn’s work, I am instantly captured by the playfulness and intimacy of these pieces. They are glimpses into the life of the Mother and the ideology of items of furniture… an object that you use every day. There is an ephemeral quality to these pieces as well, which relates to the idea of motherhood and my own mother; I am reminded by the coupons of my purse, where old business cards and receipts reside in my care, too. Dawn uses drawings, ephemera, and a slew of various unconventional materials to create and inform the sculptural bodies that coincide with them. The intention is not to “impress,” but instead to exhibit a way of being. My favorite piece from the show must be “Varicose Blossoms for no Man.” To me, there is an especial sense of home… from the keys dangling on the side of the object, the coupons and brochures, and the old garden-esque wire that hangs on the bottom of the piece. Her constructed composition and meticulous placement of objects hold me in this piece, and I am reminded of the maternal figures in my life and a sense of childhood and comfort.

Johanna Eunchae Yim - Spring 2024 intern

I walk around the space for The Coconut Effect and feel more aware of the gallery space itself. Dawn’s works explore how drawings can be extended to a physical space that pushes how a piece of artwork is meant to be framed in a gallery. She plays with the forms of her gestural drawings/paintings reflected in the housed sculpture. It brings a sense of nostalgia akin to children’s picture books. Dawn’s work takes an abstract gestural form of a sculpture and drawing, giving it a character like a children’s book. “Smock Pocket for Waves” fascinates me in extending a drawing to a physical space. A hook is poking out of the ink, drawing from the board out to the viewer. At the end of the hook, a dangling metal wire mimics the same form of the drawing. It changes the dynamic of the orange mat board and drawing as if the wire springs out from the paper into the viewer. The sculpture comes to life with character by inhabiting the space for the viewer. It recalls the ideas as a child of making domestic household objects into playful characters to interact with.

Grace Gasser - Fall 2023/Spring 2024 intern

Dawn’s work is so special. I had the joy of assisting with the installation of Dawn’s work, and her bright, whimsical energy and kindness is reflected in her art. Her creative genius is involved not only in the pieces themselves but also in creating an immersive space for the viewer to explore. “The Coconut Effect” is like nothing I have seen before. It combines the process with the outcome, the “everyday” with the extraordinary. These pieces spoke to me as an artist because they represent a very real push and pull between ambitions and everyday limitations. To be human is to find a balance between working towards your dreams and working with the flow of what life throws your way. It is easy to grow frustrated with the clutter of a modern existence, to write off little things as unimportant or insignificant; a receipt from getting takeout yesterday, a twist tie from the bread you bought last week. But this clutter all has a purpose, and the accumulation of the “mundane,” the distraction of the everyday, does not have to signify failure, it does not have to be separate from art. Dawn’s work reminded me that life is never a straight line, and if you look at all of the world, every little tiny thing it has to offer, as a part of a process that doesn’t have one designated “correct” path, disruptions become a little less overwhelming. The unexpected is your friend, you just need to work with it, not against it.

DIANE CHRISTIANSEN & JESSIE MOTT

Scissors Is Our Love Language

Grace Gasser - Fall/ Spring 2023 intern

Scissors is our love language is a peek into a whimsical world of dark and light. Artists Diane Christiansen and Jessie Mott combine their two separate "worlds" in this collaborative exhibit that explores the tragic and the absurd along with the silly. Christiansen and Mott joined forces to re-work and combine old pieces to create new meaning as well as collaborating real-time on paintings. The creative voices of both artists are harmonious throughout each piece and each new work seems like a window into a wonderfully peculiar existence. I am fascinated by Christiansen's and Mott's collaborative process and enjoy the underlying theme of relationships that resonates from this body of work. The process of building a close relationship through trusting each-other's creative decisions is a unique and special element of "Scissors is our Love Language". I can confidently say that each work in this exhibit excites a new emotion and curiosity in me but my personal favorites are "Percival," "Twins," "Kickstand," and "Evangeline." I am extremely drawn to the creatures that are present in these pieces and their distinctly human and inhuman elements. The similarities in each creature throughout these pieces allows me to form a vague idea of a world populated by these beings that I am excited and intrigued by.

Parker Hurkman- Fall/Spring 2023 Intern

This exhibition featuring the art of Jessie Mott and Diana Christiansen encapsulates the trust, love, and friendship that these two artists have for one another. Mott and Christiansen seamlessly meshed and weaved each other's unfinished artwork together to create entirely new work. The works don't rely on backstory or narrative, rather they exude emotion and feeling that the viewer basks in. I enjoy the themes of friendship and collaboration present in a lot of these works and the process in which they were made is unique and inspiring. I particularly love the piece "Get A Room". Mott and Christiansen worked on this piece simultaneously creating a painting that holds endless discovery. Their process is a dance of intuition, each person adding their input or touch to each work of art. Another piece I enjoy is "Suzy", the colors are electric and the piece is figurative yet abstract. I admire so much how these artists can alter and transform their art and infuse their work with a spirit of playfulness. I'm excited to follow these artists to see what they come up with next.

KYOUNG AE CHO

From My Garden

Parker Hurkman- Fall 2023 intern

In her exhibition From My Garden, artist Kyong Ae Cho weaves herself into nature to explore a common language. As humans, we often forget that we are also part of nature. Through her work, Cho strives to understand nature better. Her art gives these pieces of nature, that are typically ignored, a second life. Cho's impeccable craftsmanship is clear throughout her pieces, her work is incredibly delicate and fragile. She has a clear respect and care for the materials that she uses. Her work feels like a conversation between humanity and the world around us. My personal favorite is Remains VIII-Il, I love the way the stitching goes around the organic shapes of the the leaf. I also love Paused, I viewed this piece as a literal interpretation of the "Natural Order". Each cube has its place and role in the order just as how things in nature have their role and purpose to sustain life.

Alayn Kirk - Spring 2023 Intern

In FROM MY GARDEN, Kyoung Ae Cho explores hand-sewing natural materials on silk organza as a meditative practice, using what she grows in her garden as a basis for her work. The home and the garden are a place of peace, providing materials like dandelion, maple, and corn to foster creation. Her extremely delicate handwork is to be closely observed, allowing the viewer to experience the frailty of the leaves and plant life she straight stitches into each piece. Such a simplistic but unique look at the delicacy of nature and the cycles of life allows the viewer to contemplate the fragile, fine lines of life and regrowth as they exist in the outside world. A study of these works are sure to give the viewer an experience of the meditative feeling that Cho evoked during their creation.

HERE COMES THAT FEELING

Jenny Lee - Fall 2022 Intern

The exhibition HERE COMES THAT FEELING by the artist KG explores poetry through woven textiles and found objects. Inspired by music and places they visit, they bring a piece of an adventure back into their works whether it is fries, a tree branch or paper clips. Each piece individually daunts viewers to peek closer at the colorful and textured details of the narrative. The peculiar objects challenge KG to approach each textile differently by allowing the materials to live in the window of the pieces. The small-scaled work intimately plays with breaking the bounds of the rectangular shape with hanging strings or metal wire complimenting the unique individual works. An imaginative body of work compels viewers to use their five senses in recognition of the items alluding to a narrative and their desire to feel the texture of every line of thread.

Raegan Glaser - Fall 2022 Intern

HERE COMES THAT FEELING by the artist KG is an exploration of the different aspects of life intertwining through woven material. KG, takes inspiration from music and tarot cards along with lived experiences. Music allows the artist to connect to different lyrics as well as nostalgic moments, while the tarot brings them promises of the future. KG allows for each aspect of the experience to be done with creative intent and meaning. The artist curated the exhibition themselves, stating that the method of displaying the pieces takes root in the importance of each piece no matter the size. KG is a Gemini and has created many of the pieces with the intention of having a twin, often this is done by similar loom size or subject exploration. This exhibit is able to flawlessly accept and portray that each story from their life is intersectional and has ultimately created something beautiful.

Malachi Baer - Spring 2023 Intern

In HERE COMES THAT FEELING by the artist KG, we enter the daily explorations of their life from walking their dog, phone calls, outings with friends, and more. The materials found woven together come from these daily moments. These adventurous materials then become more intimate as they enter KG's home and find more ways to interweave and mingle in the home creating a deeper story with the artist. With multiple works being created at once, KG than jams in their space, thinking about what to work with, what colors should be there, what textures should they capture, and literally jamming objects in trying to make sense of what works for the narrative. With the smaller scale of the works the viewers can capture those life experiences as they view beautiful snapshots into KG's life.

IMI HWANGBO

Reverie

Jenny Lee - Spring 2022 intern

Imi Hwangbo's exhibition is composed of methodical 3-D sculptural compositions of geometric patterns and flower motifs stemming from Korean decorative patterns. Her artworks draw viewers in to experience these pieces up close to notice the intricate layers in the cut paper reliefs. The precision in her works create an optical illusion that play with light and shadow. Her tightly rendered Constructed Drawings transition into her Constructed Prints with a looser compositional cut paper relief. The media itself opens up a conversation to the subject matter's delicacy. Hwangbo translates how a drawing can become sculptural.

Raegan Glaser - Fall 2022 intern

Imi Hwangbo's body of work tackles moments of dematerialization of a modern lifestyle and how detached one may become due to digital influences. This work creates objects of meditation in hopes to bring viewers back to ones body. The idea of meditation through the work continues through the large amount of energy expended in creating as each piece shows high levels of precision that is created predominately by hand. Hwangbo has previous sculptural training that she uses as a preparatory step along with drawing, however this also connects to her personal metaphor about space and its ties to freedom. Allusions to space are also contemplated through Hwangbos influence of Buddhist Temples, as the patterns reference infinity while allusions to three dimensional forms become a transformative space that one must decide weather or not they are willing to enter.

CAROLINE KENT

Writing Forms

TAYLAR GERGEN - Spring 2020 intern

In Caroline Kent’s exhibition “Writing Forms”, she takes her viewer on a journey through her own curiosity. This curiosity entails the exploration of language, abstraction, painting, and where those lines may blur. Kent carefully considered the layout of Hawthorn, responding to the space in a way for the viewer to “consider language as a form not to be translated but deciphered”.

The show consists of a series of four paintings joined by frames made specifically to invite the viewer to intimately engage with the work, a largescale painting accompanied by a wooden sculpture, and a form painted directly on the wall of the gallery with two smaller wooden sculptures on each side. The artist has subtly blurred the lines of language and painting throughout the installation where as a viewer, those blurred lines greeted me, sometimes unexpectedly, as I explored her abstractions.

An example of this is in her wooden sculpture where it takes on the similar shape of a podium. As you step up to it, you feel as though a speech is to be made. Another is her two small wooden sculptures on each side of the form married to the wall. They resemble quotation marks. Kent is already blurring those lines where a line may exist no longer as she continues on her expedition of curiosity.

DOM MILLER - Spring 2020 intern

Caroline Kent’s Writing Forms is a careful curation of work that explores language through painting and sculpture. Viewing Caroline’s work was a very engaging and thought-provoking experience for me. The interaction felt similar to a conversation in the sense that there was a back-and-forth between the viewer and the paintings. As I spent time with each work, I would continue to find new things that I hadn't noticed before.

In her four-part series of paintings on paper in this exhibition, it is evident that she considered engaging the viewer through the design of the display as well as the content of the work itself. The paintings are housed in frames that are constructed in a way that partially obstructs the image unless the viewer is directly in front of it. This design sparked my curiosity and encouraged me to look closer.

Writing Forms also features a large-scale painting on unstretched canvas, a wooden sculpture, and a form painted directly on the wall of the gallery.

DOMINIC CHAMBERS & SAMUEL WEINBERG

Chambers & Weinberg

REAGAN MULVEY - Fall 2019 intern

The Dominic Chambers/Samuel Weinberg exhibition provides a nuanced glimpse into the human experience. Within this show, paintings serve to explore the impact of community and environment on the perception of the individual. Figures cast around the room capture interactions between humans and otherworldly forces, transforming the otherwise mundane into a fantastical narrative. Through a combination of unexpected mediums, the subject matter carries a sense of universality which allows the viewer to connect to a concept in a variety of ways. This exhibition demonstrates the remarkable versatility of each artist. Their ability to combine seemingly lackadaisical mark making with purposeful and precise rendering inspires my own approach to art-making.

SARAH FITZSIMONS

Ocean Objects

MEGAN DUERLINGER - Summer/Fall 2019 intern

Experiencing Sarah FitzSimons' Ocean Object has given me a number of perspectives on both the process and the concept of art making. The importance of research in the creative process and how that translates a message to the viewer. Every ocean current reflected in the stitching and specific topography of the water, dignified by the different values and temperatures of blue, show how information can be as vast and significant as the Pacific Ocean. In combination with the credibility of replicating the Pacific Ocean, the intimacy of the material choices also captured Sarah's intended concept. Each inch, representing 25 miles, is felt in every joint of the connected materials. The placement of the quilt finalized the concept, for me. Every time I stepped in the gallery, the quilt maintained its presence as both a vast ocean of obstacles while ironically wrestling with an invitation for comfort.

BEN HERBERT - Summer 2019 intern

Akin to nature itself, Pacific Quilt is both organic and free flowing, while also being meticulously designed and mathematically crafted. This precise attention to detail is present not only in the work, but also in Sarah’s thoughtful utilization of the space. Assisting Sarah throughout the installation process allowed me to gain insight into the decisions that go into how visitors interact with and perceive artwork in a space. For example, the placement of Pacific Quilt in the gallery makes visitors aware of their location in the room, and encourages them to consider themselves in relation to the locations represented in the piece. Working with Sarah provided me insight into how to effectively display work as well as the artistic process as a whole.