We are proud to announce our newest gallery exhibition, featuring the “Audacity” series: The Audacity to be Asian in Rural America: we owe you no apologies by artist Nancy XiáoRong Valentine.
Join us for Valentine’s opening reception this Saturday, July 15th, from 12pm to 3pm, during our July Music on the Lawn event. Valentine will also lead an artist talk from 12:30–1pm where she will speak about her powerful paintings and answer questions about her work.
Created in response to the injustice faced by Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, Valentine’s series consists of 12 watercolor and Chinese ink scroll paintings on rice paper that offer a visually compelling narrative of the Hao family’s immigrant experience in rural West Central Minnesota. The Hao family is Valentine’s maternal side of her family.
Each painting depicts a different animal from the Chinese Zodiac, symbolizing various aspects of the family’s immigrant experience and cultural heritage. The intricate watercolor and Chinese ink techniques employed by Valentine bring these stories to life, inviting viewers to explore and empathize with the challenges, triumphs, and resilience of the Hao family.
We hope you will join us in celebrating Valentine’s work and story at Central Square!
