Click here to enter gallery | Click here for the special events

Walsh Library Gallery
presents

Politics in Art


Introduction

Over the past two decades, it has been our pride, privilege, and pleasure to have collected the work of some remarkably gifted artists from Mainland China. In 1983 we started to assemble our collection of oil paintings of "Revolution Art" from China. These artists who experienced the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution are now painting landscapes, portraits, still life and most recently abstract works. Their constant experimenting with new techniques will continue, we believe. We have interfaced with these artists, and we have kept up with them in their new works. We have had long visits with them in their studios and homes. We have just returned from a visit with Muli Tang in Montreal, Canada, having a private viewing of his recent works. Wang Zhenghua and Zhang Mingji are always nearby in New York City, and we feel that they are like our own family members. We also hear from time to time from other artists who now live in China.

The uniqueness of our collection might be that we are remaining in contact with each artist. We have tried to collect, as much as we could, their entire life's work. Several pieces in the collection stand out among the finest examples created at critical moments in China's modern history. When Jo Ann Cotz expressed her interest in exhibiting some of these paintings at Walsh Library Gallery, we embraced the idea of showing the collection for the first time to the Seton Hall University community. Ours has been a living experience. We want others to enjoy and share the excitement and fun with us.

Wan Kyun Rha Kim
August 15, 2000

                                 
Return to Walsh Library Gallery