Media Contact:
Timothy Brown
Hillyer Director
hillyerdirector@artsandartists.org

PRESS RELEASE

Newly Selected Artists: Kiana Honarmand, Helen Zughaib, Mike Easton, and E.d Adegoke, June 8–June 30, 2024. Opening Reception, Friday, June 7, 6–8 pm, 5–6 pm for members

Kiana Honarmand
Screeching Silence

Screeching Silence is an immersive multimedia installation incorporating sculptures, video projection, and the interplay of light and shadows. This exhibition serves as a tribute to the “Woman Life Freedom” protests in Iran, ignited by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. This site-specific installation delves into the ongoing struggle of Iranian women against gender apartheid and their relentless fight for basic rights through acts of civil disobedience.

Hair is the central element of the exhibition, showcased in a 4-channel video installation and integrated into suspended sculptures. These sculptures are cut with patterns incorporating Persian calligraphy, which interact with light to cast shadows throughout the space. Hair, once a simple aspect of human existence, has emerged as a potent symbol of political resistance for Iranian women, symbolizing their unwavering defiance against oppression.

Helen Zughaib
Borders + Barriers: Pattern of Resilience

The works included in this exhibition reflect the many barriers people face as they flee their homes from war, violence, economic insecurity or climate change. At the same time, these works represent their resilience through pattern and color that reflect their dignity and heritage as they attempt to make a better life for themselves and their families.

Mike Easton
Oh, Say Can You See

Oh, Say Can You See is a collection of mixed media drawings and paintings. The purpose of this body of work is to remind the viewer of the dangers of insensibility. In this exhibition, artist Mike Easton welcomes the individual to reflect on their own personal views and feelings.  Easton uses the art of metaphysics as a philosophy to explore good and evil as a fundamental concept in his work.  Easton makes use of metaphors and allegories using visuals, symbols, and representation to communicate with his audience. The artist’s ultimate desire is that the viewer will walk away from his work with the desire to engage in courageous conversations that will invoke change and empowerment.

Online Exhibition

E.d Adegoke
ìpilésé (Origin) “A Journey into Spirituality”

The project ìpilésé is derived from the African language of the Yoruba people meaning “Origin.” Although the word “origin” can be associated with many things, E.d uses the term to describe his journey as a descendant of Yoruba culture and tradition. This project is an experimental body of work that allows the artist to establish a praxis of reconnecting to a Yoruba system of spirituality. E.d was born into a family that practices Christianity, but he always felt the need for something deeper and sacred to his own heart and to the uniqueness of his experience as an individual. As professor Wole Soyinka once said, “beliefs are meant to be personal as it is a very vital concept of human existence.” This exhibition is not just about painting, but a documentation of E.d’s personal journey to a desired path towards spirituality and a belief system.

Visit the online exhibition (opens Friday, June 7)

Image Credits

Kiana Honarmand, Mending Unhealing Wounds, Installation: Video Projection on layers of chiffon, 2020, Dimensions vary; Helen Zughaib, Left Behind, gouache on board, 30 x 40 in, 2023; Mike Easton, Don’t Drink the Water, 2023, Oil on Linen, 42 x 46 in; E.d Adegoke, No White Flag On Pugnacity and Resilience in Human Struggles, 2023, Acrylics and spray paint on canvas.