A new exhibit is coming to Gallery 221 at Hillsborough Community College. It’s by artist Kirk Ke Wang and is called Snow in September. The exhibit will be on display from March 23 to May 11. There will also be an Opening Reception Thursday, March 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. Kirk Ke Wang will speak at this reception beginning at 6 p.m.
Who is Kirk Ke Wang?
Kirk Ke Wang is a multimedia artist whose work focuses on critiquing modern stereotypes as a diaspora. Throughout his career, Wang has used painting, installation, mixed media, video and photography to present his vision of the world, led by a consistent thread: the fear of inexorable cataclysm.
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Wang’s solo exhibition in Gallery221@HCC draws inspiration from a 13th century Chinese play called The Injustice to Dou E, also known as Snow in Midsummer. In the story, the tragic and unjust death of Lady Dou E causes the heavens to snow during a hot midsummer day, proving her innocence. Today, the story symbolizes injustice and tragedy, and in Wang’s exhibition Snow in September, the artist parallels the Chinese fable with abstracted images of more recent tragedies such as 9/11, calling to mind when the twin towers collapsed and debris rained down like falling snow.
I believe it’s the artists’ obligation to respond to our social surroundings. When facing human tragedies, any arguments about the “sublimity and purity of art” seem anemic.
A quote from Kirk Ke Wang, found on his website.
Through retelling tragedies, Wang tries to find a spiritual solace and the meaningfulness of being human.
Kirk Ke Wang received two MFAs from Nanjing Normal University and University of South Florida. He is a Professor of Visual Arts of Eckerd College. He also serves on the Board for the Ringling Museum of Art. Mr. Wang maintains a studio in Tampa and NYC, and he often travels back to his hometown, Shanghai.