Artist Gwen Yen Chiu Transforms Language into Metal in New Exhibit at Krasl
Artist Gwen Yen Chiu Transforms Language into Metal in New Exhibit at Krasl
A new exhibition, Language as Form: Calligraphy & Sculpture by Gwen Yen Chiu, will open in The Gallery at Krasl Art Center on August 31, 2024. Born in Michigan and living in Chicago, Gwen Yen Chiu explores the dynamic and transformative power of language through a unique blend of abstraction and welded metal:
"My mother, who immigrated to the United States, was very adamant about me, being born in the United States, to not lose my Taiwanese heritage. This not only included her teaching me Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, but also included her giving me lessons in Chinese Calligraphy which started at the age of 5. Within the ritual of writing the same character over and over hundreds of times, I found a sense of rebellion to take these characters and reinvent them with an extra flick of the brush in the wrong direction and being a little over the top with performative gestures. This memory and experience continues to heavily influence my current creative process – taking characters and severing them from their traditional meanings, as an attempt to understand my identity in the Asian diaspora. Combining my training in metal and Chinese calligraphy, my work has not only been an ode to these feelings, but to my own personal history, manifesting as works of dynamic movement and gestures."
Yen Chiu’s exhibition, Language as Form: Calligraphy & Sculpture by Gwen Yen Chiu, showcases her ability to translate the movement of language into equally expressive metal forms. Visitors will experience a seamless interplay between ink and metal, drawing and sculpture, highlighting the dynamic relationship between these art forms and the cultural narratives they embody.
Also opening in The Lab at Krasl Art Center on August 31, 2024, is Forest by Nick Collard. Forest explores Collard's intimate connection with the natural world, presenting black-and-white photographs that shift between soft exposure and bold contrast. This visual approach mirrors the experience of moving through the forest, with sunlight filtering through clouds and leaves changing with the seasons. The exhibition delves into the artist's deep familiarity with his local environment, his embrace of creative inspiration, and his exploration of nature's raw, organic elements imbued with a spiritual or divine quality.
For more information regarding the exhibitions, visit www.krasl.org
EXHIBITION PROGRAMS
On September 5, at 5:30 - 6:30 pm, tour the new Lab exhibition Forest with photographer Nick Collard during this Culture Club artist talk. Enjoy drinks and lite bites, learn about the impetus behind Collard’s work, and mingle with the artist.
Join us on September 6, 6 - 8 pm, as artists Gwen Yen Chiu and Nick Collard join KAC to celebrate their recently opened exhibitions, Language as Form and Forest. Hear from the artists, mingle with friends, and explore the work on view. Cash bar and lite bites provided.
On September 12, at 12 pm, tour the recently opened exhibitions, Language as Form and Forest, with Chief Curator Tami Fauver. Coffee with the Curator is a free, informal tour over the lunch hour at KAC. Sponsored by Forté Coffee.
CULTURE CLUB + TEEN ARTS COUNCIL:
On October 3, 6 - 9 pm, join us for a special Culture Club event featuring the talented mother-daughter duo, Christine Yen and Gwen Yen Chiu. They will share their unique approaches to Chinese calligraphy and guide you through a hands-on art project highlighting the expressive power of line. Participants will practice traditional Chinese calligraphy techniques and explore contemporary styles that blur the boundaries between language and image. Register at https://canvas.krasl.org/classes/1602.
On October 6, 2 - 3 pm, language and form come alive for an afternoon of music and dance in the galleries. For the annual George Krasl Memorial Concert, cellist Jordan Hamilton collaborates with CPR Dance to bring an original score inspired by the work of Gwen Yen Chiu. Enjoy a live performance, light brunch fare, and cash bar. Register at https://canvas.krasl.org/classes/1604.
CULTURE CLUB + TEEN ARTS COUNCIL:
On November 7, 6 - 9 pm, we'll host part two of a two-part workshop, this special Culture Club event gives ‘Calligraphy as Drawing’ participants the opportunity to transform their 2-dimensional ink drawings and calligraphy into 3-dimensional steel sculptures with Gwen Yen Chiu. Working with precut sheet metal, students will bend and make simple welds to modify their designs into dynamic linear works of art. Register at https://canvas.krasl.org/classes/1603.
2024 Exhibitions sponsored by 98.3 The Coast, The Boulevard Inn & Bistro, Silver Beach Pizza, Kruggel Lawton CPA, Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant, and The John DeVries Insurance Agency. Additional support provided by admission from the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff.
About Krasl Art Center:
Krasl Art Center provides southwest Michigan residents and visitors the opportunity to experience contemporary art exhibitions, new artist projects, and creative events, as well as art classes, camps, guest artist workshops, and community-wide programs. The center opened in 1980. Indoors, it houses galleries, art-making studios, and a gift shop. Outdoors it celebrates public art through sculpture placements on its campus and throughout the community. Krasl Art Center's mission is to inspire meaningful change and strengthen community through the visual arts. To learn more, visit krasl.org.
