The Art of Process: Aguiar, Hahn, Hidalgo, and Rondiak

There is no art without process. It is the key to creating and the predecessor to all marvelous inventions. No two artists' processes will ever be the same, and it is in this uniqueness that we can draw further insight into the art and the artist.

This exhibition focuses on the work and process of four of The John William Gallery’s featured artists, including Hamilton Aguiar, Hyewon Hahn, Rick Hidalgo, and Ola Rondiak, whose creative techniques are wildly different yet worthy of the same attention and praise. Layers and meticulous processes link these four artists together. Their materials range from oil on canvas to beeswax to acrylic gummy bears, from which to explore concepts and the world around them to push boundaries and create that which is entirely and unequivocally their own. The pieces within this collection exemplify the artist's explorations and bring together an aggregate of fresh, energetic expression.

Process and the art of making reflected in Aguiar’s and Hyewon’s work reveal distinct dialogues with their materials; their intense understanding of and fierce commitment to them allows the material's natural qualities to shine through. In his Optical Mauve, oil on canvas, 70 x 70 inches, Aguiar uses standard tools of the trade to create brilliantly illusory pieces that transform the 2D canvas into mesmerizing 3D patterns by manipulating the oil paint's reflective qualities with brushes of varying widths. His process is specific and honed in a way that has allowed him to create an extensive collection of optical works, yet each piece is unique despite the repeated procedure. Hyewon Hahn’s Intimate Relations 1, acrylic and bee wax on panel, 28 x 24 inches, is similar in that it employs the natural qualities of beeswax to create depth and a 3D quality to the piece. As a result, Hahn produces engaging works of art and lends evidence to the diverse process unique to every artist.

Yet, processes are more than the materials and techniques. For the artists featured in this exhibition, their personal connections and lived experiences flourish in their work. Ola Rondiak’s It Is Within, 2021, mixed media, 24 x 22 x 13 inches, shows directly her process of creating multilayered works. Patches of embroidery and paint overlap to engender an eye-popping piece that intertwines her lived experience as a Ukrainian female artist and the grandchild of persecuted Ukrainians. Hidalgo, too, pulls from his childhood in Gummies are Forever, resin and pigment on shaped canvas, 36 x 28 x 3 inches, and his grandmother's candy store. His past and present merge in his process of creating each acrylic gummy bear and layering them together to form one magnificent giant gummy bear.

Each artist's journey through their materials and personal experiences culminates in a collection that celebrates the boundless creativity inherent in the act of creation. From Aguiar's mesmerizing optical illusions to Hahn's intimate exploration of beeswax, and from Rondiak's multilayered reflections on identity to Hidalgo's nostalgic homage to childhood sweets, this exhibition serves as a testament to the profound connection between process and artistic expression. Through their distinct approaches, these artists remind us that there is indeed no art without process—an enduring truth that continues to inspire and captivate us all.

Curatorial Statement by
Phoebe Caswell