An invitational exhibition of past visiting artists from West Virginia University’s China program at the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in China will open in the Paul Mesaros Gallery at the Creative Arts Center, Thursday, Jan. 20.

Opening on the same day in the Laura Mesaros Gallery will be an exhibition titled “Theatre of Power” by Chinese-born artist Xie Xiaoze, who is currently based in the United States where he is the Paul L. and Phyllis Wattis Professor of Art at Stanford University. Both exhibitions will be open through March 3.

In addition, Xie Xiaoze will present a visiting artist lecture Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. in the Bloch Learning and Performance Hall (Room 200A). The opening reception for the exhibitions will follow at 6 p.m. at the galleries. All events are free and open to the public.

“Xie Xiaoze has developed several distinct series of photorealist paintings, some based on his personal history,” said Bob Bridges, curator of the Art Museum at WVU. “The ink-on-paper works included in this exhibition seem indebted to traditional Chinese landscape painting technique. But, the application of the fluid medium here is looser and less controlled, allowing for drips, gestures, and simplification.”

Describing the process of making these paintings, Xie said: “I experimented with special effects by using hand-made rice paper and an ink-resistant mineral solution to create highlights without using opaque paint.

“The result is a look that has the lyrical quality of traditional Chinese ink painting, but at the same time maintains a reference to documentary photography, a style that is not recognized immediately as Chinese or Western.”

The subject matter of the paintings in “Theatre of Power” is derived from news photographs reflecting recent Chinese history. These subjects suggest the memory of the China from the artist’s youth.

Xie studied architecture at Tsinghua University and later painting and public art at the Central Academy of Arts and Design in Beijing—one of the leading institutions for modern art education in China.

“Across Cultures: Together in Jingdezhen” is the title of the exhibition by the past visiting artists from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute. It is curated by Shoji Satake of the WVU ceramics faculty.

The invited artists include: Rob Meyer, Kent McLaughlin, Suze Lindsay, Rick Hensley, Donna Polseno, Barbara Diduk, Joe Zeller, Steve Hilton, Jason Walker, Tara Wilson, Melissa Mencini, Dan Murphy, Martin Tagseth, Beth C. Stichter, Jeff Diehl and Jay Lacouture.

For more information, contact Bob Bridges, curator of the Art Museum of West Virginia University, at 304-293-2312.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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