By Kiya McClenton

The Wignall Museum’s current exhibit Affirmations Mindfulness in Contemporary Abstract Painting has themes centered in mindfulness, or the state of being conscious and aware. This mental state can be achieved through all sorts of activities that allow the individual to focus on their present moment and emotions, such as through meditation practices. The exhibition guide explains that the exhibit explores studio art practices within the context of mindfulness.

Roman Stollenwerk, Wignall Museum’s Assistant Curator, organized this exhibit through careful selection of several local artists: William Bradley, Tomory Dodge, June Edmonds, Rema Ghuloum, Khang Nguyễn, David Allan Peters, Mary Anna Pomonis, Antonio Adriano Puleo, and Luis Emilio Romero. The exhibit will be open from January 13 to March 8, 2025.

Although each artists' work follows the same theme and uses abstract details, each piece of work features a signature technique of it's painter, such as the bright colors of Antonio Adriano Puleo's work or Mary Anna Pomonis's pixel-like paintings. Each piece of work expresses the theme of mindfulness in its own way that captures the unique traits of each artist.

Furthermore, the exhibit guide provides detailed biographies of each artist and their history alongside a photograph of their paintings. These biographies further explain how each artist expresses the philosophical and spiritual themes in their paintings.

One artist in particular may be familiar to our audience at The Breeze. Khang Nguyễn, who was previously featured in the articles The Greatest Perfection of Art and The Universal and the Particular, was sought out to exhibit his work at our very own museum. Khang’s paintings follow themes of nonduality, which he explains focuses on a more holistic awareness of reality and being with no distinction between self and other. In short, nonduality brings awareness to the nature of being and existence, allowing individuals to recognize the connections within each other, nature, and the Universe.

Although the exhibit features abstract paintings, Khang explains that he does not recognize his work as abstracts. Instead, he describes them as diagrams of the nature of perception, with each layer of his paintings representing the different levels of consciousness. Khang hopes that his work helps people recognize the connection within each other, instead of the constant focus on "self".

To help bring the themes of mindfulness and connectivity to life, Chaffey College’s Social Wellness and Behavioral Support team coordinated various meditation sessions, called Focus and Flow, in collaboration with the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art. These sessions aim to help students take time to connect with themselves whilst also being able to appreciate and embrace the surrounding art.

The first session, facilitated by Chaffey’s Social Wellness manager Denise Padilla, featured a guided meditation that allowed students to embrace the current moment and the art by simply lying down and processing their inner thoughts. After the meditation, students were free to take their time to relax and view the art. There will be 2 more meditation sessions conducted on February 25 and March 4, but with limited space.

Overall, this exhibit allows Chaffey students and our local community to appreciate the work of talented artists while also building healthy connections with themselves and others. The meditation sessions further provide students with simple yet peaceful ways to help process their emotions and developing an understanding of their own consciousness.

Mindfulness in Contemporary Abstract Painting Featuring Khang Nguyễn