Events, exhibit, Past Events, Past Exhibit

Ziui Chen Vance – ’cause the eyes don’t lie – November 2 – December 30, 2018

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Opening Reception: Friday, November 2, 5-8PM
November 2 – December 30, 2018

William Shakespeare once stated that “the eyes are a window into the soul.” As a woman, I was always told to keep my eyes calm, settled, and assuring, while letting my smile do all the talking. Always avoiding the abruptness of famously expressive “China-man’s” acute smile and overly expressive eyes.

In reality my laughter is big. And my eyes reflect this.

The rethinking of the eyes of significant faces that define women in art history these works are examining the smile itself as a boundary. Their smiling eyes forcing further ambiguity of their emotions and testing whether the audience is friend or foe. The perplexing character they extol guarding with glee over all they survey. No longer muted by the question of their smile.

Ziui Chen Vance
Ziui Chen Vance

Artist Bio:

Chinese born and Michigan based visual artist, Ziui Chen Vance is bridging new territories between calligraphy, painting and design. As a contemporary descendent of a long line of calligraphy masters, including Chang DaQian, XU Bing, and Qi Bashi, among others, Ziui, engages the historic lines and visual ambience of the classic china composition, while embarking on the sublime in her representation of the smiling faces of women that dominate art history.

Artist Description:

As an artist and designer with 25 years of calligraphy training, and a partner in UVXYZI focused on establishing socio-spatial equilibriums through design. Ziui’s interests are in imagining new objects based on the visual language of emotions. The new objects contrast reality in scale, assimilating the audience into the character of subtle gestures. Ziui has previously utilized this mode of thinking during her career in product placement and retail design, working with a variety of internationally renowned companies to perfect their visual brand. Most notably are Lining sportswear, EbayChina, and Seimens (New Jersey) where she worked on domestic interface systems. Ziui completed a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design from Tsinghua University and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan Stamps College of Art and Design where she was awarded a research fellowship to investigate product design interface systems for visually impaired persons. Additionally, she has prior studies in Painting from the Sichuan Fine Arts Academy and has participated in numerous showings for national and international galleries in China, France, Russia, Michigan, and New Jersey.

Past Events, Past Exhibit

Wenlu Pei – Preeminent Chinese Painter – Sept 7 to Oct 31, 2018

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Wenlu Pei
Wenlu Pei – Renowned Painter from China

Wenlu Pei is a Chinese artist. He was born in 1944 in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in Southwestern China. He taught himself how to paint when he was young, and his work was first published in the newspaper at the age of 18. He has been devoted to art for more than fifty years. Wenlu Pei has participated in many Chinese national, international and solo exhibitions and has received various awards. He is a member of the China Artist Association as well as a visiting professor at Yunnan Arts Institute.

Wenlu Pei Exhibit
Wenlu Pei Exhibit

Wenlu’s main focus is painting portraits and sceneries from around Yunnan Province and capturing the life of its residents, including Tibet, Miao, Naxi and Huayao Dai ethnic groups. He uses a variety of techniques such as oil painting, watercolor painting and traditional Chinese watercolor painting.

Wenlu currently lives in Yunnan and regularly travels to Novi, Michigan to visit his family.  Opening scheduled for September 7, 2018 at MICA Gallery.

Solo exhibitions:

2017 Pei Wenlu New Works Exhibition, Caiyun Gallery, Kunming, China

2016 Highland, Yunnan Nationalities Museum, Kunming, China

2001 Pei Wenlu Solo Exhibition, Jobe, Japan

Award:

Khan Festival, Excellence Award, National Art Exhibition, Beijing, China

Website: https://wenlupei.wordpress.com/  (a new page will open)

Past Events

Helen Mickens – A Family of Storytellers – Seven Generations

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MICA Gallery presents Helen Mickens who will introduce seven generations of her family, three of which were enslaved people, on Thursday, August 23. Despite the fact of her ancestors’ enslavement, Helen’s family is fortunate to know about them and know their stories. Helen feels grateful to have come “from a family of story-tellers.” Because of that, her family knew a lot about their ancestors’ roots in Kansas. (Her grandfather was a mustanger and farmer there. Her great uncle worked on the Panama Canal when he was not a gravedigger and pool hall owner in Southern Kansas.)

But, a single document would open the door to the story of her third great-grandfather Henry Work who, after he was freed from slavery in 1809, worked at a skilled trade and raised the resources to buy his wife and seven of their children out of slavery. Henry and his family made the treacherous 700-mile trip from North Carolina to Michigan. Helen will share the story of Henry Work’s life and her family’s saga between the years 1809 and 1870.

Helen has a BA from Kalamazoo College, an MA from Michigan State University, and a JD from WMU Thomas Cooley Law School where she was a professor and associate dean for 32 years. Since she retired, she has made time to continue her community service, her family genealogy research, and her gardening and travel. Helen lives in Lansing with her husband Charles Mickens.

Followed with LIVE JAZZ music by HappenStance Trio, just across the street at UrbanBeat!