News release CAM. From July 14 through October 7, 2017 Coos Art Museum will feature the oil paintings of Seattle area artist Z. Z. Wei. Wei has exhibited in dozens of Galleries and his works are found in many international collections. Yet, this will be his first solo museum exhibition and the Coos Art Museum is very proud to host it. The exhibition opens on Friday July 14 from 5 to 7pm with a free public reception and all are invited to attend. Wei captures a unique expression of the essence of the Pacific Northwest landscape with large boldly painted forms and rich colors. Born in 1957 Beijing, his life was soon engulfed by the tumult of China’s Cultural Revolution. Art and painting helped Wei process the turmoil of this unstable period. He graduated from the Central Institute of Arts and Design in Beijing and turned his attention towards fiber arts and weaving. It was as a fiber artist that he first exhibited at the Chinese National Museum in Beijing, where his woven sculptural forms were among the very first modernist works permitted. These works also caught the attention of Americans working in China and led to his participation in a 1989 cultural exchange. He never returned to China and has lived in the United States ever since. The rural landscape of America has transformed him as a person and an artist. It represents the beginning of a fresh lifestyle and art. Wei unites his art and life experiences in China with his perspectives inspired by traveling the backroads of America. His original and unique interpretation of the landscapes captures the characteristics and spirit of America that touches the hearts of a wide range of audiences from different cultures and background.
