This Artist offers Viewers ‘Infinite Possibilities of Linguistic Expression’ in Visual Archeology
An Antarctic landscape, a high-spirited Steed, a slinky tiger, and a cotton flower are just a few of the delicate ink and wash paintings on rice paper by Wei Qingji, a leading figure of China’s contemporary ink painting, whose exhibit Visual Archeology will open on July 2 and run through September 25 at Queensborough’s QCC Art Gallery.
“Most of my paintings are concerned with memory or everyday life. I hope to give traditional materials a new voice, creating images and ideas that remain connected to our own experiences and everyday lives,” said Wei Qingji, who remarked that while he has previously participated in group exhibitions in the New York area, this exhibition at the QCC Art Gallery is his first solo exhibition in New York.
Wei Qingji added, “I hope this exhibition introduces the college community, especially students, to a different approach to painting and a different kind of visual experience. In an age when so much can feel increasingly homogeneous, I hope these works offer another perspective and another voice. One of the things I especially appreciate about universities in New York is their cultural diversity. Students come from all over the world, bringing with them different cultural traditions. I enjoy this multicultural environment because it enriches the ways we live, learn, and understand one another.”
“Wei Qingji’s social dream world is populated by ghostly objects, some familiar, others, strange and unrecognizable, connected to the truth of his experiences, ranging from childhood to moments of forgiveness,” said Faustino Quintanilla, Curatorand Executive Director, QCC Art Gallery. “The function of these objects emerges as their most significant aspect, materializing through the interplay of negative and positive space. He invites us to preserve and engage in this ever-evolvingemotional relationship.”
“I am grateful that Faustino appreciated and recognized my paintings, which use traditional Chinese ink as their primary medium while bringing together contemporary visual language and the spirit of Chinese painting traditions.”
Wei Qingji has exhibited extensively in China and internationally, including the National Art Museum of China, the National Gallery in Berlin (Germany), the Meridian International Center (USA), the National Gallery in Prague (Czech Republic), Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Japan), the Foundation Daniel & Florence Guerlain (France), the Saatchi Gallery (UK), and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Department of Oriental Art at Nankai University (1995), completed advanced studies at the Mural Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (2003), and obtained a Master of Fine Arts from the School of Art and Design, Wuhan University of Technology (2008). He is currently an Associate Professor at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.
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HOURS
Monday – Friday: 10 am – 5 pm
Saturday & Sunday: by appointment
LOCATION
QCC Art Gallery / CUNY
222-05 56th Ave.
Oakland Gardens, NY 11364-1497
CONTACT
Phone: (718) 631-6396
Fax: (718) 631-6620
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