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

PRESS RELEASE

“Newly Selected Artists: Claudia “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter, Amber Robles Gordon, and Zhenya Parish,” May 6–May 28, 2023. The opening reception is Friday, May 5, 2023 (“First Friday”), 6 to 8 p.m.

Left to Right: Claudia Aziza Hunter | Amber Robles-Gordon | Zhenya Parish

Claudio “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter

FLIGHT SCHOOL

“…spiritual technologies are repeated cultural practices meant to alter the mind, body, or spirit of an individual or community.” (Spiritual Technologies Project)

Claudia “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter understands flight to be spiritual technology. It is a powerful technology which creates a dimension that provides protection for the soul. From the stories collected by Zora Neale Hurston to Alvin Ailey’s Revelation to gospel music lyrics, flight has been more than a verb. Flight is also a noun, a spiritual state of being that creates a loophole of redemption. It is in this state/place that Black folk heal, plan, prepare, and imagine, expanding creative and intellectual energy. Though the body and mind are bombarded with racist restraints, this place can be activated. Given the aggressive attempts to further dissolve the promise of a people, this is a time to activate flight, hence the title Flight School. Gibson-Hunter explores this notion of flight through abstraction.

Amber Robles-Gordon

Remnants: a visual journey of memory and renewal 

Amber Robles-Gordon is drawn to the terms, remnants, slivers, and fragments, and believes we are all a compilation of pieces of our experiences, influences, and choices. She uses her artwork to explore and share her perception of cellular and spiritual energy. And, for Robles-Gordon, artwork is the language she uses to discover, understand and express the condition of life and its connection to her soul.

In this series, Robles-Gordon explores the emotional, physical, and psychic processes of loss. This body of work conveys the mental and physical effort it takes to move through loss. The artist works sequentially and within these works, deploying the lenses of abstraction, realism, photography, sacred geometry, symbolism, and installation art to convey a journey of self-awareness and growth. Together, these artworks present a visual telling of love, loss, and healing.

Along this journey, Robles-Gordon convened with friends and incredibly talented artists Zoë Charlton, Lavett Ballard, Wesley Clark, Elana Casey, and Alanzo Robles-Gordon, to join and partner with her in this visual storytelling. She thanks them for their friendship.

Zhenya Parish

The Art of Letting Go

The pieces chosen for this exhibition are relatively recent. They reflect an evolving use of abstraction to capture a practice of observation and interaction. The works have their origin, primarily, in live painting events the artist held throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia. During this time, Parish returned to larger canvases to explore a dialogue and symbology of perceived experiences. She did not begin with a pre-established method for their creation, but encouraged participation and interaction with audiences and other performing artists. The only primary understanding was The Art of Letting Go. What was revealed on the canvas constantly evolved over the course of an evening. Parish did not commit to any temporary perception, but practiced the art of opening up to constantly change the experience. 

In this exhibition, Parish hopes that these pieces will challenge the viewer to find a new point of relation and help create a moment of understanding, appreciation, or feeling. We live in flux. Embrace it.

Exhibition Content

Visit Hillyer’s upcoming exhibitions to learn about the featured artists.

Image Credits (Left to Right): 

Claudia “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter, Dawn Flight_ Flight Dawn (detail), 2022, acrylic paint, colored pencil, 25 x 30 x 4 in (photo credit: John Woo); Amber Robles-Gordon, Soy luz, amor, y frecuencia.(I am light, love and frequency), 2023, mixed media, 80 (L) x 60 (H) in; Zhenya Parish, Primordial, 2021, mixed media on canvas, 36 x 72 in.

International Arts and Artists at Hillyer

Founded in 2006, IA&A at Hillyer (formerly Hillyer Art Space) is the Washington-area initiative of International Arts & Artists. Through its innovative and often provocative exhibitions and public programs, IA&A at Hillyer champions local and international artists at all stages of their careers.

IA&A at Hillyer collaborates with artists, cultural organizations, and embassies to develop and host creative, thought-provoking programs that push our understanding and reflect the uniqueness of DC as an international capital. Whether you live in Washington or are visiting, IA&A at Hillyer invites you to encounter contemporary art from the US and around the world in a welcoming, and intimate gallery setting.

Hillyer is open Tue-Sun from 12p – 6p (5p on weekends).