Who were the New Casualists and how did they address themes of process and materials in art?

The New Casualists were a group of contemporary artists in the 2010s who emerged as a reaction to the formalism and conceptualism that dominated the art scene in the previous decades. They embraced a more intuitive, expressive approach to art-making, prioritizing the act of creation and the materiality of the artwork itself. The movement was primarily centered in New York City and was influenced by abstract expressionism and minimalism, as well as Japanese aesthetics and philosophy.

Central to the New Casualists' ethos was the idea of process, or the act of creating the artwork itself. They valued spontaneity and experimentation, often working in a meditative or improvisational manner. Their works often featured gestural marks, loose brushwork, and raw, unfinished textures, emphasizing the hand of the artist and the immediacy of the creative act.

Another important aspect of the New Casualists' practice was the use of materials. They favored humble, everyday materials like cardboard, burlap, and tape, as well as nontraditional materials like glitter, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. By elevating these materials to the realm of high art, they sought to challenge the traditional hierarchy of materials and question the very notion of what art could be.