"Identity Synthesis" at Shaw's Tavern

Feb 1, 2014
Identity Synthesis

 February 2 – March 1, 2014
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 6, 2014, 7:30 – 10:00pm
Shaw’s Tavern
520 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
202‐518‐4092
http://www.shawstavern.com
 
Aaron Wilder uses art to explore connections between people and between individuals and their innerselves.
He works primarily in mixed media and acrylic paint and uses color, line, and text to grab
attention and provoke personal interaction with his work. Some of the more dominant themes in his
artwork include international politics, political and social commentary, popular culture, contradictions,
introspection, the state of humanity, gay rights, gender equality, and questioning the process of our own
socialization.
 
“Identity Synthesis” is a collection of Aaron Wilder’s work exploring the concept of personal identity,
including how we as human beings exhibit aspects of our inner selves while masking other
characteristics. The exhibition is designed as a Conditionalist forum in which perspectives, ideas, and
beliefs about how we shape our identities can be discussed and explored.
 
Aaron defines his beliefs about the meaning of art through the term Conditionalism. The conditional
tense (or mood) in languages is used to refer to a hypothetical state of affairs or to discuss what would
happen under certain circumstances. Thus, a Conditionalist is one who is concerned with understanding
a range of perspectives through dialogue with others who may perceive events and the world around
them in different ways. Before it was appreciated for its aesthetic qualities, art (in its diverse array of
expressions) was used as a way to facilitate the communication of ideas. Therefore, as a Conditionalist,
he seeks to employ his work in creating a forum to celebrate art as dialogue where individuals can share
their perspectives on issues in the community and across the world.
 
Originally from Arizona, Aaron has also lived in California and France and currently resides in the
Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, DC. He has been creating art since 2002 and has shown at
exhibitions in Chicago, Illinois; Flagstaff, Arizona; Gilbert, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; San Francisco,
California; Tucson, Arizona; and Washington, DC.
 
The opening reception is free and open to the public. To view this exhibition outside of the opening
reception, call 202‐518‐4092 to schedule an appointment. For more information on the work of Aaron
Wilder, visit http://aaronwilder.com. For more information on Shaw’s Tavern, visit
http://www.shawstavern.com.
 

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