East West

David Leffel, Andy Chan, Zhi Wei Tu

Mary Qian and Bo Zhang
had been bouncing around
the idea of having
an exhibition of local Chinese artists




Miguel Malagon



When Miguel Malagon
suggested the 40,000 square feet
that Murphy-Hill Gallery
has over in the
former Sears-Roebuck corporate headquarters
near Homan and Roosevelt


Mary Qian

Bo knew a group of artists who,
like him,
had studied and taught in China,
and ended up the Mid-west.

Calling themselves
the Oil Painting Society of Chinese American,
they have 15 members
most of whom teach art
in universities and community colleges
in Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin etc.



Mary Qian

While Andy Chan is at the center
of a group of traditional Chinese artists
called
the Chinese Artists’ Association of North America.



Bo Zhang

So the idea was
to combine those two groups,
plus some of the non-Chinese artists
whom Mary had gotten to know
in Chicage, especially from the Palette and Chisel



Bo Zhang


And finally this huge show,
came together
as the last art show
Murphy Hill Gallery
will have before their space
is taken for commercial development.



Andy Chan




Andy Chan








Andy Conklin



Helen Oh



Zhi Wei Tu



Zhi Wei Tu



Zhi Wei Tu



Clayton Beck III


Above are the members
of the Peoples Republic
of Dearborn Avenue
who participated.


Some other participants
are shown as follows:


Sherrie McGraw


Here are the non-Chinese
artists whom Mary picked
to represent
both Impressionist
and Academic styles




Sherrie McGraw




Matthew Almy
(of the Ravenswood Academy,
where many of our models also work)



Magdalena Almy



Magdalena Almy





David Leffel
(who comes to the P&C
from New York
one week a year
to teach a workshop)



David Leffel



************


Konstantin Maksimov (1913-1993)

One of the highlites
of the opening
was the arrival
of Moissei Liangleleben.


Konstantin Maksimov

Incredibly enough,
Moissei had once studied
with Konstantin Maksimov
who is to Impressionism in China
what St. Patrick is to Christianity in Ireland.




Konstantin Maksimov

Back in the 1950's,
the Soviet Union sent
Maksimov to teach a social-realist style
to an elite group of students in Beijing,
and many of the artists in this exhibit
were students of those students.



Konstantin Maksimov


Like all Soviet painters,
Maksimov's work is completely unknown
in this country.
(and unfortunately none of the above pieces
were included in this show!)

Li Hu

Li Hu
is a Professor of Art
in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
and is President
of a group of oil painters
who were trained in that tradition.

Above is the kind of painting
that defines social realism


Li Hu

While here's one
that seems to define
contemporary art.
(i.e. -- I have no idea what's happening,
but it seems to be bad)



Li Hu


His quick studies are my favorite


Li Hu




Li Hu




Li Hu









Yan Shi Zhong

Here's another one of my favorites




detail




Yan Shi Zhong

Victor Wang


Victor Wang seems to have adapted
to the contemporary artworld
better than many of the others.

Here's his website.


Victor Wang




Yingxue Zuo


Here's another one of my favorites.


Yingxue Zuo




Mary says that he's into German Expressionism.



detail


Richard Lee


I wish he was showing more drawings like this one.


Dajiang Hu

I don't know where
this was painted,
but it feels like Wisconsin

Feng Xie

Feels a bit like Rembrandt,
but then
Rembrant's landscape drawings
feel a bit Chinese.


Li Lin Lee

I'm not sure
how this artist got included,
since he's not a member
of any of the three groups involved
and Mary's emphasis
was on realism in this exhibit.

But I'm glad he was
(and he does show his work
in a local gallery (Walsh )
that specializes in contemporary Asian)


Ruby Wang


There weren't very many
traditional ink or watercolor paintings
in this show.

This was one of my favorites.

Here's her web site.


Jialing Li



Chur Jialing Liu



Felicia King


Annie Liu







Left to right:

Yingxue Zuo, Zhiwei Tu, Mary Qian, Yan Shi Zhong, Annie Liu

*************



This is the kind of show
that I wish
the Palette and Chisel
would begin to sponsor.

I.e. -- based on somebody's idea
of what ought to be seen,
rather than on whoever is a member.

(Especially since recently,
membership has been open
to everyone regardless of ability
to do anything other than pay the dues)